Heart in Agony
by cescalina
Summary: Complete!Hermione's heart is aching and the only person who can help her is the one person she hates the most.As enemies turn to lovers other things have to be sacraficed,can they cope with the possibility of losing everyone and maybe even themselves?
1. Chapter 1

**AN:- Hey I'd just first of all like to say that I started this a long time ago and never got around to finishing it (until now!!!) so it disregards the 6****th**** book, but apart from that I hope you like it…read and review!!!also as you will most likely be aware the plot for this story (all 16 chapters) is mine but most characters all belong to J.K. Rowling…this disclaimer is only on the first page but counts for the whole story…I don't own any of them, none, not even a desk in one of the classrooms, none of it it mine…if I have to put this on every chapter ill be sad cos iv already posted them all…hmmm anyhoo read and review!!!**

Chapter 1

It was the Monday after returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Hermione Granger had already settled into her old routine and was sitting in the library reading none other than 'Hogwarts a History'.

The only thing that was different was that this year this particular pastime wasn't making her happy. It wasn't all that she wanted to do. Ron and Harry were away with their girlfriends, Ginny and Parvati, who just happened to be two of Hermione's very limited group of girl friends. This year, as apposed to previously, the reason that she was here in the library was because she had nothing else to do.

Everybody assumed that the reason she didn't have a boyfriend was because she didn't want one. Of course it wasn't. Almost every girl in the world wants a boyfriend; it's just that some are pickier than others. She would turn any boy down who she didn't get butterflies with. So as a result she had only ever had one boyfriend, Viktor, and she had acquired the reputation of being a man hater!

What she really hated were boys who called their girlfriends 'monkey', or 'love', or something equally as stupid. She wanted an exciting boy who would show her things so wonderful she couldn't breath, who loved her so much he would die for her, who's kisses were so wonderful they would leave her begging for more, who made her heart sore when he left. That's what she wanted, not some sissy who tried to win her love by sweetness, he had to go after what he wanted.

Yes, that's right, Hermione Granger, member of the golden trio, wanted a bad boy! She would never tell Harry or Ron though; they would not approve and would try and talk her out of it. How can you be talked out of passion? And why should anyone ever want to, but they would! They were the 'monkey' type, the sweet ones, in other words the boring ones. And she couldn't be bothered with it any more. Their mama's boys' attitudes had appealed to her before. It's what made her stay for so long. But during the summer she had realised that they weren't what she wanted any more, that they probably never were, she was just playing it safe. She still loved them dearly as friends, but it had finally dawned on her that she never wanted either of them to be anything more than that. During the summer she had begun to understand a lot of things, however some things still remained a mystery, such as why boys outside of school paid her much more attention than the ones at Hogwarts, why even although she now had beautiful, glossy hair thanks to ceramic straighteners and a whole summer of experiments she still hadn't had one compliment about it, and why...

"Mudblood? Is that you?"

"Look Malfoy I'm not in the mood for your bullshit today. What do you want?"

"Fuck's sake Granger, Potty's dick still up your arse?''

Why she hated it that he thought she was seeing Harry, why she got butterflies when she saw him, why her heart got sore every time he left, why she cried herself to sleep thinking about him at night, why she wished with all her heart that he'd kiss her, if only just the once, why whenever she heard a sad love song or watched a sad film she cried twice as hard as before, why she would die if he asked her to, why there were tears fighting to escape her aching eyes at this very moment. No, that wasn't true. She knew why she felt like this. It was because she loved him. The boy who had taunted her for years, who had made it quite clear he hated her. He was all she wanted. And as he turned to leave and the silent tears escaped, she hated herself for it.

**AN:- I know it was kind of short but they do get longer I promise!review please…even if its bad I still want to know, I just like knowing how people are affected by the story you know!(im thinking no more author notes until the last chapter cos it's the only one I haven't written yet and although I have a fairly good idea of what I'm going to make happen that could all change depending on how you guys respond, but because of that the others won't get author notes cos there's no point, they can't be changed!!!so yeah, once you've read the whole story if I hadn't added chapter 16 yet then if you review in time I'll take your ideas into consideration!!!anyhoo…thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of my story!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hermione Granger was sitting in the Gryffindor common room caged in by her best friends, Ron and Harry, who were sitting on either side of her. They were talking but she couldn't hear a word of what they were saying. It had been this way for weeks. She would try and concentrate but she just couldn't. Her mind liked to wander.

She had seen _him _many times since returning to school. They had Potions together again this year, as well as Transfiguration, Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures. Despite her hopes of her feelings diminishing they were getting worse and worse. It was torture sitting in the same classroom with him. Especially as every time he saw her he would insult her or give her nasty looks that broke her heart.

She knew it was stupid but that only made it worse. The strangest thing of all was that even although she had all of these feelings sometimes she hated Draco Malfoy more than anything. She wanted to slap him so hard and she had to fight herself not to. She hated his arrogance but it drew her in further every time he sneered. Why was she feeling like this? Why was he driving her this crazy?

"HERMIONE, you think there's something wrong with her?"

"There's nothing wrong with me Harry. I'm just tired."

"Umm, you're a girl right?"

"Thank-you Captain Obvious!"

"You know what I mean, but, well, I was thinking..."

"Oh no, hope you didn't strain anything"

"Hermione what are you suggesting?"

"Oh my god, just go on with your story!"

I swear I could kill the boy-who-lived-to-be-humourless sometimes. Oh look, he's pouting! HA!

"It's Ginny's birthday and...I bought her pyjamas...but I've been thinking...maybe she'll take that the wrong way and I mean I don't want her to think I'm being too forward"

"For Merlin's sake Harry, you're a bloody 7th year now and you're her boyfriend aren't you, plus judging by the fact that you said pyjamas I'll bet that they aren't exactly revealing. Also fuck's sake Harry Potter, if she was so innocent that a pair of pyjamas shocked her then I find it very hard to believe that she would know about all of those things that she mentioned in her stories about Neville!"

"What?"

And without answering she stood up and made her way out of the common room and slowly began wandering towards the library. Why couldn't anyone understand that love was burning, taking risks, and not getting worried about pyjamas?

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The hand thrust over her mouth silenced her scream as she was pulled into a cupboard on her right. As she turned round, her own eyes wide with fear, she saw _his_ stormy grey eyes staring back at her. But, before she could say a word he had lunged forward and covered her mouth with his.

Pressed up against the wall of a janitor's cupboard and with Draco Malfoy's hands exploring her body, Hermione took a moment to react. But when it sank in that this was not another one of her daydreams, she grabbed his face with her hands and deepened the kiss. It was everything she had longed for and more, and when he pulled away she opened her eyes and rationality set in.

"Why did you kiss me Malfoy?"

"Why did you kiss me back, because it's probably the same reason!"

Now that she found hard to believe.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

"Alright, alright, because I wanted to! And I'm accustomed to getting what I want and you know that. I have to say you're feistier than I imagined...but that's a good thing! Meet me in the Astronomy Tower at midnight."

And after only pausing to flash her a mischievous grin, he left her alone and in the dark, her heart racing and her brain working overdrive.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What am I thinking?"

That was all Hermione had had in her head that whole day. But now that she was staring at herself in the mirror, all made up, it was coming through ten times as worse. Part of her was trying to convince the other to take off her fancy clothes, tie her hair back again, and spend the night reading an old romance novel.

"Don't be stupid Hermione, you may be being offered the chance to live out one of those novels!"

But the rational side was screaming at her to reconsider. What possible reason could Draco Malfoy have for wanting to meet her in the Astronomy tower at night that didn't have to do with a scheme to humiliate her? But in the end, the more adventurous side, the one that believed in star-crossed lovers too much to let her sit in her room alone all night, won.

With one last look in the mirror, Hermione Granger rushed out of her bedroom, sped down the stairs and arrived in the Gryffindor common room. Thankfully there was nobody else there to see her late night exit as she made her way out into the dimly lit corridor. Luckily, the fat lady somehow managed to sleep through it and Hermione could get on her way.

X----------------------------------X

Up in the Astronomy tower Draco Malfoy sat going over the plan in his head. He would fill Granger in on the situation, persuade her to do things the way he wanted, and hopefully she would cooperate. But he wasn't stupid. He knew that the mudblood hated him, and that she wouldn't do anything just to please him unlike a lot of the girls he knew.

"Why her?" he whispered and put his head in his hands.

"Talking to yourself now Malfoy? What would daddy think?"

He knew that voice straight away. _Annoying little mudblood. _As he turned to look upon the face of the one he despised so much his eyes met a sight his brain wasn't prepared for. There she was, Hermione Granger, not looking half bad! Some might even say...she looked good.

"Wonders never cease!"

"For God's sake Malfoy, if you're going to insist on speaking could you at least do it loud enough for me to hear?"

"My apologies mademoiselle! In future, I will be sure to include you in my conversations with myself."

"Look, cut the crap, just tell me why you asked me to meet you here, and I can be on my merry way!"

"Ah well, I was looking forward to a nice little chat, but if you insist. Basically, some of the other guys in my house bet me that I couldn't seduce the girl they chose, and they chose you as you may have guessed. Whether I can or can't doesn't bother me, what does though is my reputation being tarnished. These aren't the kind of people who would keep it to themselves if I failed. The whole of Slytherin would know by breakfast. So, I have a proposal, which I think you might like. I will tell them that we slept together, and if they ask you, you will agree. Oh don't look so shocked, I will of course be giving you 10 galleons for your trouble."

Hermione was stunned, and more than a little disappointed. She had been hoping that Draco was going to pounce on her and ravish her as pathetic as she knew that would seem!

"Wait, let me see if I understand this. Are you in fact offering to pay me to tell people that we slept together?"

"Don't flatter yourself Granger. Technically, you could look at it that way, but..."

"No buts. That is what you're asking. Also, I don't remember you telling me how much the bet was worth."

"Why is that important? I told you, I'm only doing this to uphold my reputation. However, if you must know, 100 galleons."

"Oh, but you see, that presents us with a problem. That would only leave me with ten percent of your takings. And if you want you want to keep your precious reputation upheld as much as you say you do, you don't have any other options than to cooperate with me. Unless you can think of another way!"

"There is no other way and you know it. In order for me to get any of that money or respect, people have to believe that we've slept together. And since that is never going to happen..."

"Am I actually that repulsive to you? Or are you worried about dirtying your pecker by letting it come in contact with a muggleborn? Or maybe it's as I've always suspected, you prefer something a little closer to home?"

"Are you insinuating that I'm gay or incestuous? I assure you that neither is true. Also, I do not have a pecker. I am very well endowed. Plus, you are acting like you would do it, when it is quite clear that I would be your first and I am positive you are saving that glorious position for Potty."

Hermione walked over to the chair that Draco was occupying, bent down so that their faces were only inches apart, closed her eyes and softly her lips on his. She then whispered,

"Are you positive? Oh, and just for the record, the answer is no!"

She then slowly stood back up, proud of her restraint when faced with the man she lusted after…loved even, and silently made her way back to the common room, and eventually up to her bedroom where she lay awake for hours thinking about what to do.

Draco also couldn't sleep, but he knew what kind of dreams would come if he did. He tried to stay awake for that reason, as he had done many nights before. But this night there was a new reason. He wanted to think about the mudblood in the conscious world. How could he convince her to do things his way?

"Who knew she was so goddamned stubborn, or that I would actually be looking forward to seeing her again."

He slowly, despite himself, drifted into a land of murder and pain, and for some reason, Hermione was there too.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was fast approaching Christmas and Hogwarts was in chaos. People were running everywhere, discussing things in hushed voices and giggling like lunatics! The castle itself was beautiful. There were decorations everywhere.

In the entrance hall, for example, stood the biggest tree any of them had ever seen. It was covered in tinsel and bobbles in all of the house colours. The hundreds of lights were enchanted to fill anyone who looked at them with Christmas spirit! Hermione thought this was very strange, whenever she looked at them she felt the need to hum Christmas songs! And then of course, there was the enchanted mistletoe. Hung on almost every doorway and corner, everybody was being extra careful so as not to get literally stuck under it!

Hermione had been busying herself with buying presents for everyone but as much as she tried she hadn't forgotten about Draco. He had been trying to talk to her for weeks and she knew it. Every time she saw him approaching with that determined look on his face she would have to try and find some way to avoid him. Either she would stop and talk to somebody, she knew he wanted to keep his little plan a secret, or she would simply try and hide.

She didn't want to be reminded that he wasn't attracted to her. And she knew that he would either be trying to persuade her to go along with his plan or he would actually try to seduce her. The worst of it was, she knew that she would probably let him take her, which is why she had to avoid him at all costs. She didn't want to give it up to somebody who would dispose of her once he had gotten what he wanted.

X-------------------------------------X

Draco had decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays. He knew his parents would prefer it if he didn't go home this year even if they hadn't said so. They had been under a lot of stress since the death eater allegations. So, there he was on Christmas Eve, sitting alone in his dorm room, trying to think of some way to occupy himself.

As far as he knew only eight other people from his year had stayed. Three from Ravenclaw, one from Hufflepuff, some Gryffindor boy with an Irish accent, and those great friends of his, Potter, Weasley and Granger.

Yes, he was the only Slytherin, well in 7th year anyway and he was hardly going to associate with those younger than him. The same could not be said for Potter. Draco had seen him frolicking under the mistletoe many times with the Weasley girl. They kept making strange cooing sounds at each other in between kissing and Draco had almost thrown up. He couldn't understand how anyone could find that attractive.

That did, however, mean that Harry would be preoccupied and Hermione would be finding it harder to avoid him.

Draco had noticed Hermione's sudden conversations with random Gryffindor gossips whenever he was about to approach her. He knew she didn't want to have to talk to him alone and he couldn't understand why. He had initially assumed that he had offended her by his request, but if that was the case she would have probably just shouted at him some more, just like she had in the past.

"Girls!"

There was no doubt about it, she confused and intrigued him!

X--------------------------------------X

It was only eight o'clock but already it was pitch black outside. Hermione had decided to go and gaze at the stars as she had suspected that Ron was trying to make a move on her. She hated it when he did this, especially as she felt partly to blame. She was probably sending out mixed signals or something because this happened a lot.

She hated the look on his face every time she left, but she just couldn't stay. The thought of them being together repulsed her. He was like a brother to her. An overprotective, stubborn, annoying brother.

So as a result she had gone up to the Astronomy tower and was just sitting, staring up at the sky.

"Granger! What a surprise! You up here reminiscing about our times together I'll bet!"

Sighing, she turned around, already knowing who it was that she was about to be face to face with. He had found her.

"Yes Malfoy, that is just what I was doing."

"Really?"

"Let me think about that one...NO!"

"Well, what are you doing then?"

"Why do you want to know? No, wait, I don't care! I'm just looking at the stars, they're beautiful aren't they?"

She regretted saying it as soon as it left her mouth. Now she had started an actual conversation and she would have to endure those intoxicating eyes burning through her even longer.

"Yeah, but they always are. So, expecting someone then?"

"No, I actually came up here to get away from everyone."

"Then, what's with the negligee?

She was suddenly very aware that she was wearing a short skirt. It was one of those Santa dresses, she had put it on as a joke after Ginny made her buy it in Hogsmeade that morning. They had both thought it was hilarious, now she wasn't so sure!

"It is not a negligee! It is a dress!"

"Then why, might I ask, is it very similar to a negligee? Look, it's so short I can almost see your arse, the top is shaped like a bra, and the bottom part is made out of some floaty fabric commonly found on negligees!"

"Oh my God! Shut up! Maybe it is a negligee, but it was just a joke among friends, not to be taken seriously. I suppose you wouldn't understand."

"Jesus Christ, calm down! I have to talk to you. GRANGER! Fuck's sake, would you look at me!"

He reached out with one hand and turned her head back round to look at him. As soon as his hand touched Hermione's face she knew she had no hope. And when he looked into her eyes, she was speechless. You could drown in those eyes! She didn't know it then, but he was thinking the exact same thing about hers.

They didn't look into each other's eyes for long, they were soon locked up in a tight embrace, kissing each other, each of their hearts beating faster than ever before.

When they were together in this way everything just seemed right. As if this was the way it had always been meant to be. Hermione reached her hands inside Draco's robes so that she could feel his muscular body. When he felt her warm hands touch him he wanted her even more.

He picked her up and kneeling down placed her on the floor. He had never seen anyone so beautiful as she looked at that moment. Neither of them said anything, they just looked at each other, each with a fire in their eyes that had never been there before. Draco climbed on top of her and took off his robes, leaving him wearing only black boxers.

When Hermione realised what was about to happen, she pushed him off her and jumped up. Forcing herself not to look at his hurt face or to stare at his body, she muttered her apologies and started for the door. But Draco was too quick for her. He had managed to get in front of her. Grabbing her shoulders to force her to look into his eyes, he began questioning her.

"What are you doing? Are you just going to leave? What the fuck? Seriously. You want this just as much as I do, admit it."

"No. I mean...yes, I do. But it's not that simple. I do, but not here, not like this."

"What do you mean?"

"You were right before, when you said you would be my first, and I don't want to lose my virginity on the floor of some empty classroom with a boy who doesn't even love me. Can't you understand that?"

"Don't bring love into this."

"But that's exactly my point…love shouldn't have to be brought in, it should be in this, it should be the reason for my first time."

"Listen to yourself- 'Should, should, should'."

"Making fun of me won't change my mind Malfoy."

All she wanted to do was stop talking, stop ruining the moment. The phrase "Don't look a gifthorse in the mouth" came to mind. But she knew she was doing the right thing, as much as she would love for Draco to make love to her, hold her, she knew that it would mean nothing to him and that she would never forgive herself for being so stupid.

"I don't know how to love you!"

She stared at him in shock. Had he just given her the tiniest bit of hope that, in his eyes, she wasn't so unworthy of love, it was merely that he didn't know how to? But what kind of nonsense was that, not knowing how?

"You don't know how? It's not about knowing how. It's about needing me, needing me with every fibre of your being. Would you do all you could to protect me? Would you die to be with me?"

He didn't want to admit it to her but he probably would. He'd known for a while how smart she was, and how beautiful, but recently he had been experiencing other worrying emotions. When another boy looked at her or touched her, even in a playful manner, jealously would curse through his veins. When their eyes met, even for a second he would have to force himself not to smile. She was the only girl he knew with whom he could actually have a bit of back and forth banter, she didn't just smile and bat her eyelids at him. She excited him. He knew that if his father ever found out that he was feeling this way he would probably kill him but he didn't want it to end. He hadn't noticed anything missing from his life before these emotions crept up but now that he had them he didn't want to let go of the feeling of fulfilment he got when she smiled, even if it wasn't with him.

Did that mean he loved her? If he was willing to risk his father's wrath just to sit beside her and listen to her laugh or look into her eyes. Did it mean that he loved her if he didn't ever want to be without her again? He loved a mudblood! He was so angry with himself for letting it happen, but he couldn't let her leave him. He had to have her as his own!

"Well, then, I guess I love you!"

It took every ounce of her courage to ignore her need to believe him, to just accept what he had said to her as the truth and indulge in her fantasy…but she couldn't give in to him, she wouldn't.

"Cut the crap Malfoy, you're just telling me what I want to hear…it won't work you know!"

"Think about it Granger what would I possibly gain from telling you this? It's not like I don't have other options if I'm simply looking to sleep with someone!"

"You love me?"

"Yes!"

"You swear to me?"

"Yes!"

"So you actually love me?"

"For Merlin's sake how often are you going to ask me?It would appear that I do! But don't you go telling anyone! Malfoy's are not supposed to experience emotion of any kind!"

Hermione couldn't believe it. He loved her! She didn't have time to think about it though as she was soon being rushed out of the tower and down the stairs. Draco had taken her hand and she suddenly felt so safe. She was glad that nobody saw them. They must have looked very strange, two people who 'hated' each other hurrying down the corridor hand in hand, he only wearing boxers and she in a negligee!

Draco was slightly in front of Hermione and he was practically dragging her as she couldn't keep up with him and also had no idea where she was being taken!

It wasn't until they stopped beside a stone wall and Draco was muttering something which could only have been a password that she realised they were outside the Slytherin dungeon.

"Isn't this dangerous Draco?"

"Isn't what dangerous?"

"You know, taking a mudblood friend of Harry Potter into the Slytherin lair?"

"No you strange girl! I'm the only seventh year left and the only other people here are two first year lovebirds who will be somewhat busy!"

"First years? Isn't that kind of young to be doing things like that?"

"Yeah, I guess, but I'm not complaining, it gets them out of the way. Anyway, here we are, my bedroom! Oh, wait a minute."

Draco took out his wand and pointed it at the door. A spark came out of it but that was all that seemed to happen. But when Draco opened the door, Hermione was shocked. There must have been one hundred candles around the king sized bed which now stood against the furthest away wall. The bed itself was covered in rose petals. It was beautiful!

"Oh Draco, it's..."

"Shhh! Don't speak you'll ruin the moment!"

He started kissing her neck, closed the door, and led her over to the bed.

Hermione lay down and pulled Draco down on top of her. He carefully removed her negligee up over her head and for a while he just lay on top of her, while they kissed and caressed each other.

But, when he couldn't take it any more, Draco took their new relationship to the next level. It was very slow and beautiful and Hermione held on to him tightly the whole time. Neither had ever felt anything like it. Draco had always thought of sex as just something to do, but this was different. This was amazing and he never wanted it to end.

But when it did, Hermione curled up in his arms and said,

"Well, that's a Christmas present I'll never forget!"

"Granger?"

"Yes Malfoy?"

"You are beautiful, you know that?"

Just as she smiled the clock in the room chimed midnight.

"Merry Christmas Hermione, I love you."

But she had fallen asleep and didn't hear him. Draco fell asleep soon after, and for the first time in a long time, wasn't greeted by nightmares.


	5. Chapter 5

"Draco."

"What the fuck do you want mudblood?"

"What?"

"You heard me. What do you want?"

"What is your problem? Clearly I want to talk to you. Away from those charming friends of yours."

"Oh you hear that guys, _it _wants to talk to me in private!"

Hermione had never been so confused. Why was he acting like this towards her? As if nothing had ever happened? She was sure he hadn't been lying when he said he loved her. He wouldn't have done that. Would he? But, he wouldn't have had a reason. She was hardly the most popular girl at school.

At that moment he stepped closer to her and whispered so that only she could hear, "Just go Granger, I'll find you later."

But before she could respond in any way a Slytherin boy she recognised, Blaize Zabini, stepped forward and snarled, "Maybe it wants another fuck Malfoy!" Then he turned to Hermione, narrowed his eyes and shaking his head said, "What would Mr Potter think?"

She couldn't believe it. He had told them. Why? She didn't hesitate to ask though, instead she slapped Draco hard across his face.

"I wouldn't touch you again if you were the last man on earth Malfoy!"

And with that, she turned and began running down the corridor. She had to get as far away from them as possible so that they wouldn't see the tears falling down her face. But just before she was out of earshot she heard one of them shout after her. And what he said made her heart stop.

"Don't worry about that mudblood, he only associates with filth like you when he's being paid!"

She realised then why he had told them about their sleeping together. How could she have been so stupid? The bet.

X------------------------------------X

Hermione had only been in the library, standing at the window, for a few minutes when Ron came in. She had been in many places that day as she didn't want to talk to anyone. Nobody had been able to find her and were getting quite worried. It wasn't like Hermione not to be completely focussed on her schoolwork on the first day back after the holidays. She was usually doing all of her homework set for the next few weeks!

"Hermione are you okay?"

When she didn't answer he reached out and shook her by the shoulder. She seemed startled and jerked round to stare at him with wide eyes. When she saw his worried face she couldn't help but burst into tears. She felt so ashamed and knew that he and Harry would never forgive her.

"What's wrong Hermione? Where have you been all day? Who's done this to you?"

He was getting visibly furious and was clearly getting violent urges towards whoever had made her cry.

"Nobody did anything that I didn't allow to happen. I did it. It's my fault, it must be."

"What is?"

"I'm sorry but I really can't tell you Ron. It doesn't make a difference anyway, I let myself get fooled. I was stupid...I got caught up in what I thought was real and..."

"Who fooled you? Seriously Hermione, it's not your fault, it can't be if your this upset, just give me one name."

"NO! Ron, you don't know what it is. If you did you'd understand that it's my fault. If I'd thought before I acted I could have stopped this from happening. No, I probably wouldn't have. I'm so confused, I don't know what to do. If anyone finds out...nobody can ever find out."

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense!"

"I know, I'm sorry. Please don't mention this to anyone?"

"Mention what? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

She grabbed her things, wiped her face, and hurried for the door with a determined look on her face.

"Hermione. HERMIONE!"

But she didn't even turn back, she had to be quick. Nobody could ever find out.

X-------------------------------------------X

Hermione managed to get Harry's invisibility cloak without much effort. Nobody was in the boy's dorms and everyone in the common room was too preoccupied with either schoolwork or gossip to notice her going up or down the stairs.

Once she got outside into the corridor she slipped it on and began retracing her footsteps from the previous week. First to the stairs leading to the Astronomy tower then down the way Draco had taken her to the entrance of the Slytherin common room. All she could remember of the password Draco had used was that somewhere it had the word 'whore' in it. Leave it to the Slytherins to have an insult as their password!

After trying many different sentences with 'whore' in them she eventually got in when a first year boy, unaware that she was there, came along and opened the entrance with the password, "Ulysses."

She could have sworn that it had included the word 'whore' the previous week. She thought that it was strange that they had changed their password half-way through the year, but perhaps it was just their system.

Once inside she was surprised to see that there were only two people in the common room. They were two girls who looked vaguely familiar to her but weren't in her year. When she got close enough to hear their conversation she was shocked by what she heard.

"No seriously, he dumped her."

"You liar, why would he dump her? She gives him everything he wants. If Draco asked her to jump off a cliff she'd do it...twice!"

"Yeah. I know that, but I think he's just got sick of her finally! I saw Pansy crying in the toilets earlier, and then Kevin told me Draco's been moaning about her for like...a week now!"

"How are things going with you and Kevin by the way? "

"Sarah this is hardly the time, Pansy and Draco have broken up and I think there may be a secret somewhere in there!"

"For God's sake Kirsty! He'll take her back, he always does. You always think there's some secret! We all know she's a pain in the ass, but he's a guy! He'll take it wherever and whenever he can! It's not like he's going to be after conversation!"

Hermione thought it was best to leave at this point, it was just making her feel worse about herself and wasn't even based on fact. However it had told her one thing, Draco had been going out with Pansy when they slept together, regardless of whether they were going out any more. She had broken her virginity with a heartless bastard who had a girlfriend. She was very proud of herself! It just made her want to find him even more.

When she got to Draco's bedroom she didn't bother knocking. She opened the door and strode in preparing to take off the invisibility cloak and start shouting. But she hadn't been prepared for Pansy to be in there too.

Both Pansy and Draco turned and looked at the open door, clearly confused as to why it had opened by itself. Pansy had definitely been crying. Her face had eyeliner smudges all down it, her nose and eyes were red, and she was sniffing every so often. This was clearly making Draco uncomfortable and he was sitting as far away from her as possible looking very awkward.

He muttered something under his breath and got up and shut the door, still unaware of Hermione's presence. As soon as the door was closed Pansy started wailing. The words she was sputtering in between sobs were just barely understandable.

"Just...tell me...did you...sleep with...it?"

"It's really none of your business Pansy."

"Draco...tell me...please."

Hermione assumed they were talking about her. It made her blood boil when she heard anyone call her 'it'.

"No, I didn't . I just told the guys I did to get the money alright. You happy now?"

"I don't understand then. Why don't you want me any more?"

"Because you are a repulsive, lying, bitch. And I don't want to put up with your crap any more!"

Pansy looked shocked. For once in her life she was speechless. Hermione was even more shocked though. Draco had denied sleeping with her. Why? Maybe he was ashamed as well. It certainly hadn't been to protect Pansy's feelings. She was sobbing uncontrollably as she ran, past Hermione, out of the door.

Draco sighed and wandered over to the door, shutting it behind Pansy. When he turned around he banged into something invisible, or someone, which made a very strange yelping sound. He put his hand out in front of him and was startled when he felt something there.

"Ow Malfoy you arse, that was my eye!"

"Oh my God...Granger? I need to talk to you. But...why can't I see you?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Well, what is it?"

"Are you wearing Potter's invisibility cloak? Take it off Granger. I'd like to be able to see you while I'm talking to you."

"First of all, how do you know about Harry's invisibility cloak? And secondly...you have no right to tell me what to do. You used me like some cheap whore. You told me you loved me because you knew how I felt about you and how it would make me feel. You took advantage of my feelings to win a bet."

While Hermione was talking Draco had been working out exactly where she was standing. Just as she finished he sprung forward and pulled the cloak off her. He could now see her quite clearly. She was standing in front of him wearing jeans and a t-shirt and her hair was messed up. As he stared at her all he could think was that she was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen.

Hermione noticed that he was staring at her. That look in his eyes, could it be love? He confused her so much. If it really was love then why was he so cruel to her. As she remembered the way he had humiliated her earlier on that day rage built up inside her. She hated him.

"Why the hell are you doing this Malfoy? What did I ever do to you to make you think that you can treat me this way?"

"You don't understand...I..."

"You what? Did Daddy not approve of you sleeping with a mudblood? Are you too much of a coward to act like a real man and at least tell me that you didn't care about me? That you used me."

"You don't know what you're talking about. And my father wouldn't approve if you must know. As a matter of fact, he'd kill me if he found out that I even liked you. I hated you up until a few weeks ago. I can't love you. I feel like I do, but I must just be confused. People's feelings don't just switch so quickly. I'm not going to risk my life for lust."

"Look at yourself. You're such a coward you can't even admit that you lied to me! If you even had so much as a doubt in your mind that you loved me you wouldn't have even considered cashing in the bet!"

"You are so stupid sometimes Granger. What do you think I was trying to tell you up in the Astronomy tower on Christmas Eve. I didn't just start talking to you for no reason. I told them we slept together months ago. I was going to try and persuade you to go along with it for half of the money. But something prevented me from talking. And, I'm not a coward."

"You mean you didn't tell them about what happened that night?"

"No, I didn't for the same reason I denied we slept together to Pansy, I assume you were in the room at that point. I don't want everyone knowing and she would tell everyone. Don't look at me like that, you don't want Potty to find out do you? The way I told the guys it was meaningless, I don't want them thinking any different."

"Wait, that reminds me, you were going out with Pansy when we slept together. Why didn't you mention it?"

"Well I just assumed everyone knew and also, that would have somewhat ruined the mood wouldn't it! Did you honestly not know we were going out?"

"No, I just heard two girls talking about it in your common room and that was the first time I'd heard it mentioned since the Yule ball."

"Two girls were talking about me and Pansy?"

"Well, about the break-up."

"But, we just broke up there. That's why I called her into my room. Who were the two girls?"

"It was just two girls gossiping. One of them had seen Pansy crying and she probably just assumed...wait, one was called Sarah. They both looked vaguely familiar and I think they're probably one or two years below us."

"Sarah? Was the other called Kirsty?"

"Yeah! Do you know them?"

"Jesus Christ, everybody knows them! Look, I want you to promise me something. Never talk to them. And, if you see them again, don't go anywhere near them. They're not normal."

Hermione stared at him, trying to work out if he was being serious or not. Everything about him told her that he was but it made no sense. They had seemed perfectly normal to her.

"So, they're a little strange. I'll watch out for them."

"No. Listen to me, they are not just a little strange, they are psychopaths, both of them. They seem a little eccentric if you talk to them, but there is something seriously wrong with them. Sarah for example, she tried to kill one of the Hufflepuff first years last year."

Hermione didn't know what to do but laugh. Did Draco honestly believe what he was saying?

"I find it very hard to believe that she would almost kill someone then be allowed to stay on in school. Also, even if she somehow managed to avoid expulsion, it would be around the whole school in no time."

"Slytherins protect each other. I was one of the ones who found her standing over the little girl preparing to strike. We gave the girl a memory potion and basically covered it all up for Sarah. We just assumed that the girl had done something to Sarah and she was retaliating, that was before we realised that she wasn't right in the head."

"You're being serious? Well, wait a minute, why was she trying to kill the girl then?"

"I don't know for sure, but she was saying something about the girl having a dirty soul. She kept saying that the only way to truly cleanse her was through death."

"And Kirsty, what's wrong with her?"

"She's pretty much a less extreme version, although she does everything Sarah tells her too. Also, apparently she sneaks out in the middle of the night to see Snape of all people but I don't know if that's true. All you need to know is that she's dangerous as well."

They talked for about an hour, discovering lots of things about each other. They realised that they had a lot in common, both of them were fed up with their friends and family. Both longed to just leave but knew that they couldn't. Draco told her about the nightmares he'd had since he had first seen his father murdering a muggle. He had been nine years old and ever since almost all of his dreams had been filled with the girl's screams, and the vision of her lying on the ground in a heap, so weak from the beatings that she couldn't even cry any more.

He had had to pretend to his father that he enjoyed the sight but deep in his heart he had been crying. He had learned at a young age that it was useless to cry. It wouldn't change the past. Nothing could. Hermione was shocked at what she heard. Draco had been through so much in his life and his way of coping was to try and block out the feelings. All of these years she had assumed he didn't care about hurting people, and had even made fun of him for it, but in fact it had taken over his life. She listened to all he had to say and told him a few of her stories about growing up, although nothing compared.

"You know what Granger," he said after they had both run out of stories, "I like having you around!"

"Well, that was almost a compliment! But, I like having you around too."

"And, in case you have forgotten, I'm not going out with Pansy any more so I am therefore available. And lots of other young ladies will be trying to seduce me now! So..."

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend Mr Malfoy?"

"I might be! But it would have to be in secret. Midnight rendezvous and all that! If the other members of your little group found out they would accuse me of rape then kill me. It wouldn't be very pleasant!"

"Also your Slytherin comrades wouldn't take too kindly to me stealing away their leader. Alright then, let's have a secret relationship!"

There was a twinkle in her eye as she moved in front of him and offered him her hand to shake.

"Honestly Granger, I had something a little less formal in mind!"

He was grinning as he pulled her down on top of him on his bed. They kissed each other like the world was about to end. As they pulled each other's clothes off neither could wait for what was about to come. Neither one could think of anything but being with each other.

Pretty soon Draco was inside her. He went slowly at first so as not to hurt her but his body was aching for more and the look of yearning in her eyes told him that hers was too. When he came it was like an explosion inside her and at that moment both were in ecstasy.

They lay beside each other, it was almost midnight and it had been a long day. They were both tired and on the verge of falling asleep. Draco reached over and stroked Hermione's face and she turned to look at him. He kissed her on the end of her nose and whispered, "I'm not confused any more. I love you and I know that I will forever."

"Forever is an awfully long time."

"It's not long enough!"

"Ha! Yeah, well, I love you too!"

And as Hermione fell asleep in his arms for the second time, Draco swore to himself that he would never let it be any other way.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hermione woke up at quarter past seven on Tuesday morning. When she realised that she was in Draco's arms she couldn't help but smile. He was holding on to her protectively and he looked so peaceful, as if there wasn't a thought on his mind. The first time she had woken up in that bed she had been alone. Draco had left her a note telling her to be careful not to get caught as she left and that he'd had to leave.

This time she could lie there for a while with her head resting on his chest, completely at ease with the world. Everything felt so right when she was with him. As she looked at him she realised just how breathtaking he was. His body was perfect, his quidditch had served him well! She could have stared at him all day but she knew that she needed to leave. Everybody would be getting up soon and she didn't want to have to explain to a group of Slytherins why she was in their common room, or why she was there so early!

She got up and changed quickly. Before she left she went back over to where Draco was lying, leant over him and gently kissed him. He stirred slightly and a small smile crossed his lips, but he was still asleep. Hermione turned and walked to the door, glancing back at Draco only once, then hurried out through the common room which was luckily empty.

The same could unfortunately not be said for the Gryffindor common room. By the time she had made her way up from the dungeons and clambered through the portrait-hole it was quarter to eight and almost all of her house was awake and gathering in the common room before going to breakfast.

As she entered a few heads turned towards her, two of which were Harry and Ron. She wasn't sure if the look on their faces was constipation or a mixture of worry and anger and she couldn't help laughing when they started running towards her making wild hand gestures! She had to try and stifle her laughter when she realised that it was mostly anger which was being directed towards her and laughing would definitely not help.

"Where the hell have you been Hermione?"

"Yeah, Parvati said you didn't ever go back to your room last night."

"And it's almost eight o'clock in the morning. You've been out the whole night. We thought you had been kidnapped!"

Hermione desperately tried to think of a good excuse. She could always say that she'd been having her period and needed some space which didn't make any sense but talking about periods terrified boys and they would stop questioning her. However that wouldn't satisfy Ginny (or any other girl) if she asked so it was best to use the same story with everyone. The best course of action appeared to be denying the whole thing!

"I was in my room last night. I just didn't get back till everyone had fallen asleep/"

"Well, what were you doing till so late at night and where did you go so early this morning?"

"It's none of your business!"

"HERMIONE!"

And then she experienced that common yet deadly disease…word vomit.

"Fine, if you must know...I was with...Seamus. And this morning I was taking a stroll."

"Seamus? Finnigan? But...how long has that been going on? And what did you do together till that late?"

Hermione could have kicked herself. Why did she have to go and bring Seamus into it? They would surely ask him. Also, she didn't want them thinking that she was involved with him. But it was too late, she'd already put her foot in it. She would have to try and get herself out of this one and she would have to think fast! She was getting extremely worried when an idea came to her.

"Yes, but he wants to keep it a secret. We both do. Basically he invited me there last night, we kissed for a while but...there wasn't a spark. I swore I wouldn't mention it to anyone...so...don't say anything to him. Please."

"What were you so upset about yesterday when I found you in the library then?"

"Well, thanks for keeping that a secret Ron! It was nothing, I was confused about...one of my classes. I thought I got a B!"

"Haha, you're so weird about school Hermione! I've had tons of B's , and C's and well we won't go into that! Anyway, now that's sorted, anyone for breakfast?"

And with that they set off, Harry and Ron satisfied with the answers they had been given and Hermione glad that they had believed her. She felt slightly bad for lying to her friends but her thoughts didn't linger on such things for long as she was soon in the Great Hall, thinking only of the breakfast now in front of her!

X-----------------------------------------------X

Hermione sat on her bed, alone in the room. She was exhausted by all of the lies she'd had to think of that day to satisfy her friends. It hadn't been so bad with Ron and Harry, they had mostly just wanted to be sure that Seamus hadn't hurt Hermione but Ginny was another story. She had insisted on asking endless questions about Seamus and kept giggling every time he came within ten feet of them. Hermione had managed to sneak away at dinner and was dreading seeing Ginny again.

It was now nine o'clock and all she wanted to do was hide. She knew Ginny would probably be looking for her at that very moment just waiting to ask even more questions that had been building up in her mind. She considered trying to fall asleep but realised that not only would everyone make fun of her for going to sleep at 9 but Ginny would just wake her up anyway. So, there she was in her room, trying to think of ways to postpone the inevitable.

But to her relief, when the door opened, it wasn't Ginny who came in. It was Ron. She didn't notice the door opening, it was a strange clicking sound afterwards that caught her attention. She assumed it was just the door closing. When she turned to look at him, Ron had an unreadable expression on his face and she was worried about what he had come to talk to her about. Did he know the truth? She waved unenthusiastically at him and made a silly face. He smiled vaguely, walked over to her bed and sat down beside her. At first they just sat there in silence and Hermione was beginning to wonder why he had come at all. Then a thought struck her.

"Wait a minute how did you get up her? Isn't there a jinx on the stairs? You know, so that the boys can't come up!"

"Oh yeah, somebody worked out a disabling charm ages ago. I think it was Neville as weird as that sounds!"

Hermione just nodded to his response. It made sense that the boys would try as hard as they could to find a way of beating any rule which threatened their chances of scoring with any girls! But as the uncomfortable silence returned Hermione realised that she was going to have to get Ron to talk or they would just sit there in silence, forever!

"So, Ronald Weasley. Why did you come to see me?"

"You'll laugh at me if I tell you."

"I'll laugh at you anyway so you might as well just tell me! Don't look so hurt, just spit it out!"

"I like you..."

"Ron..."

"No, let me finish. We're right for each other. Friends for ages and all that. Ever since I broke up with Lavender and…look, hearing you say you were kissing Seamus, it made me so jealous and I decided I couldn't take it any more. I mean, I just always thought you'd be there when I finally told you how I felt. Honey, let's just give it a shot."

Hearing him call her honey made her want to throw up. She felt awful though. She didn't like Ron in that way at all and she had been trying to avoid this conversation for years. She had always managed to get of tricky situations before, but now she was stuck. She would finally have to confront this problem and hope that turning Ron down wouldn't affect their friendship too much.

"I'm sorry Ron. I really like you, just not like that. Please don't get mad at me."

"Get mad. Why would I get mad Hermione? Because you're turning me down for no reason maybe? It's not like you could do much better. Even Seamus wanted to keep his little fling with you a secret!"

"Very smooth Ronald try and make me feel so bad about myself that I go out with you for fear of never finding anyone else. And since when has not liking somebody not been a good reason for turning them down?"

"Shut up you selfish cow!"

"Get out Ron."

He stood up and slapped her across the face. She was too shocked to say anything. She just stared at him while rubbing her now pink cheek with her right hand. Ron looked furious and there was a strange glint in his eye. Hermione was about to speak when Ron darted forward and forced his lips on hers. She tried to push him off but his grip on her shoulders was too strong.

She was trying to scream but his mouth muffled all sound trying to escape from hers. As he climbed on top of her trembling body he stopped kissing her long enough that she was able to scream. He immediately silenced her by putting one hand over her mouth and the other he used to start ripping at her clothes.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was still kicking and struggling as much as she could when somebody knocked on the door.

"Is everything O.K. in there? I heard somebody scream. And why is this door locked?"

It was Lavender Brown. Ron looked down at Hermione then to the door. He was clearly trying to work out what to do. Hermione had never been so terrified in all of her life. She prayed to God that Lavender would somehow cause Ron to leave. As he looked down at her one final time she noticed that something in his eyes had changed. The anger was gone but she was horrified to see that it had not been replaced with shame or any form of remorse. Instead, now all that she could see in his eyes was her reflection. There was no emotion in them at all.

"I'm just leaving Lavender. I'll open the door for you. It was Hermione who screamed, you know how girls get in these situations, over-excited!"

Hermione couldn't believe that he was laughing. He had just tried to rape her and he was laughing. He leaned over her and whispered, "If you ever tell anyone about this I swear I'll come after you."

She was too petrified to say anything as he removed his hand from her mouth, got up and left. Lavender walked into the room looking confused and when she saw Hermione lying on the bed, shaking, she ran over.

"Oh my God Hermione! What happened, your clothes are all ripped!"

As even more tears ran down her face Hermione realised that telling Lavender would do more harm than good. Ron had been serious when he said he would come after her and Lavender couldn't exactly protect her. Hermione knew just who to go to who would make her feel safe and who would comfort her.

"I...I have to go. Don't worry I'll be back soon. And...my clothes..."

But she couldn't think of anything to say so she ran from the room. She had to find him. The only one who could be trusted now.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Hermione ran all the way to the Slytherin dungeons. A few people noticed that she was crying as she ran past them and they either, tried to stop her to ask how she was, or whispered to each other and giggled. Adding this to the fact that Lavender was most likely up in the common room telling everyone who would listen about what she had seen, she wasn't feeling very confident that she could keep it a secret for long. She would have to get Draco to help her think of something to tell them. He was good at thinking of things on the spot.

She stopped outside the entrance and was glad to see that nobody was around. However, she couldn't be sure how many people were inside but it was most likely to be the whole of Slytherin house. And they were bound to notice a crying muggleborn Gryffindor running into Draco Malfoy's bedroom! She decided to risk it though. She couldn't very well go and sit in her common room and just wait for Ron's next move. Whatever it may be.

Her plan, stupid as it was, was to run as fast as she could past everyone and just hope that nobody noticed. Maybe she would be lucky and it would be quiet like the first times she had been there, but it wasn't likely. However she couldn't think of anything else and she could cover it all up later.

So she took a deep breath, wiped away her tears and tried to compose herself. She didn't see the dark figure walk up behind her. He looked at the girl in front of him for a while wondering what she was doing. He realised who she was just as she opened her mouth and said, "Ulysses." The wall may not have opened but he was still shocked. How had the Gryffindor known the old password? They had changed it only that morning, just as they did every week. Who had told her, and why was she now trying to get in?

He had had enough. Just before he reached out to touch her shoulder she burst into tears and slowly slid down so she was sitting against the wall, her head in her hands. She was hardly making any sound but her whole body was shaking. He had no idea what to do. It had been a long time since he had last been confronted with a sobbing school girl. While he contemplated what to do she suddenly started banging on the wall beside her. He realised that she hadn't seen him and she continued banging on the wall as he looked on, bewildered.

"Draco, DRACO."

She once again broke down in tears but he had seen enough to know that he had to say something.

"And what would you want with Mr Malfoy?"

She turned round, a look of dread in her eyes as she recognised the voice.

"Professor Snape?"

X--------------------------------------------X

The two were now sitting in Snape's office. Hermione had tried to protest but after he had threatened to take one hundred house points from Gryffindor for disobeying a teacher she had reluctantly agreed. She had managed to stop crying by staying silent. She realised that if she didn't talk and she concentrated fully on not crying she could just about succeed.

Snape stared at her for a while. She was clearly having to fight very hard to hold her tears in. What could be making her so upset, and why would she be needing to talk to Draco Malfoy this badly? Perhaps one of his jokes had gone too far and she had been going to try and have her revenge. He decided that there was only one way to find out and so he began questioning her.

"So...Miss Granger. First of all, what could be so awful that the one person you would choose to talk to is Mr Malfoy?"

As her tears came back and her mind drew a blank, the only thing that she knew was that she couldn't tell him anything. She just stared at him, tears silently rolling down her cheeks, wishing for him to just leave her alone.

"Alright then, how did you find out the Slytherin password?"

"It didn't open the door, did it? So I clearly don't know your password."

"She speaks! Miss Granger, you know as well as I do that it was at least the password until this morning. Meaning that it would have opened had you been a little earlier. Who told you it?"

"I was just guessing, I didn't _know_ anything."

"And 'Ulysses' was the first thing that came to mind? What a coincidence! Also, in my experience Miss Granger, people don't give up after one guess, I was there longer than you think."

But she had gone back to sitting in silence. He knew that she was hiding something, but he couldn't be sure whether she was trying to protect somebody or not. Perhaps it was whoever had told her the password. Draco?

"Did Mr Malfoy tell you the password?"

"And why would he tell a filthy little mudblood like me your precious password?"

"Why were you crying for him?"

"I wasn't and am not crying for him."

"But you were calling for him and crying. It would appear to amount to the same thing, just answer the question."

"No it is not the same thing! The difference lies in who is causing the tears."

"And who would that be?"

He was growing impatient with her as she once again returned to silence. He hated it when people hid things from him. The girl was infuriating. Whatever she was keeping from him...he _would _find out. He was thinking of ways of tricking her into speaking when she started, all by herself.

"I just wanted to ask about a homework assignment. We are in some classes together and Harry and...Ron were no help. I just needed to ask him a few questions about it. That's all."

"Who? Draco? Don't you lie to me girl. You two have hated each other ever since you first met and now you are expecting me to believe that you were going to try and get him to help you with your homework?"

"Yes!"

"Then, WHY WERE YOU CRYING?"

"It's none of your business."

A knock on the door caught their attention. As the door opened and Draco walked in a smirk made it's way onto Snape's face. His eyes darted from Hermione to Draco and what he saw momentarily took his mind off Hermione's little secret. Draco smiled at the girl and she began mouthing something back which Snape couldn't make out. But as soon as Draco noticed that Snape was watching them his face turned cold. He turned to face his teacher and Hermione did the same, except she was obviously finding it harder to hide the emotions she was feeling. There was fear in her eyes as she looked upon the man in front of her.

"Sir, I brought you that essay. You know the one I forgot yesterday."

"Ah yes Draco, I assume you had just misplaced it like all the others?"

"Yes sir! But I found it, so I decided to bring it to you."

But Draco didn't leave straight away as he had in previous similar situations. He was glancing at Hermione out of the corner of his eye and he was clearly confused as to why she was there.

"Sir. What's _that_ doing here?"

"By 'that' do you mean Miss Granger?"

"Yes Sir."

"I found her in a heap outside our common room. And as if that wasn't strange enough she started calling for you as she banged on the wall, then broke down in tears."

"Calling for me?"

"Yes. And she is now claiming that it was all to do with homework. Do you believe that Draco?"

"You know how girls are Sir. They don't like to talk about their little crushes, and she was probably just upset because she realised I would never be with someone like her."

Snape was baffled. He was now completely positive that Draco was hiding something too. There had been something in his eyes as he was talking which looked like a lie. And the boy had actually looked concerned when he had heard about her crying. But Snape was no fool. He knew that neither was going to enlighten him on what had forced them to be interacting, any time soon. They had made that quite clear by lying. His only hope would be to let them go, but keep a close eye on the pair.

"You are both dismissed. But Miss Granger remember, a show like you put on is not highly appreciated by anyone. If you ever make such an exhibition of yourself again I shall be forced to take the matter further."

Snape watched them both leave. She was clearly furious but walked out in silence with Draco at her side. As soon as they were outside though he heard them start to whisper. Something was definitely going on between them, sinister or otherwise, and he had every intention of finding out just what it was.

"Professor Snape, I heard you were looking for me. I wonder why that would be!"

"Ah yes Kirsty, just the person I wanted to see!"

X---------------------------------------X

Back up in the Gryffindor common room everything was as it always was. For once Lavender had decided to get her facts straight before spreading her story. She had seen something in Hermione's eyes that had terrified her. So as a result nobody else knew that there was even the possibility of something being wrong. Harry and Ron were sitting in their usual place playing wizard chess as the entrance opened and a girl about their age walked in. There was no denying she was beautiful, with dark red hair which hung below her shoulders and she had striking eyes which bore a hole through every boy's heart.

"Excuse me, you two!"

Harry and Ron just gaped at her for about five minutes. Neither had any idea who she was and even although they knew that she was talking to them and they wanted to talk back, they couldn't get the words out. While they were struggling to break out of her trance she took a mirror out of her pocket and began fixing her hair and pouting to herself. The sound of it snapping shut again brought the boys back to reality and they were now aware that she was standing right in front of them looking irritated.

"Are either of you tubes going to answer me?"

"I'm sorry what was the question?"

"I said, 'I'm Steph, I'm new here, what's your name?"

"I'm Harry and that's...Ron!"

"Well, that's nice. Now can you tell me where I might find...Hermon?"

"Who's Hermon?"

"Some girl in my year who's supposed to be showing me around this place."

"Do you mean Hermione Granger?"

"You know her?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Granger calm down. I can't understand what you're saying. Stop crying for fuck's sake!"

Draco and Hermione had found an empty classroom to talk in close to the dungeons. All he had managed to understand since she had started talking was that she had something to tell him. But it didn't take a genius to work that out! He was trying to calm her down by hugging her tightly but it didn't seem to be working. She was still shaking.

"Look, start from the beginning."

"It's about...Ron."

"The Weasel? What did he do, fall down a mineshaft?"

But she didn't laugh. Draco started getting worried. Maybe the Weasel was ill or something. He had never liked him in the first place but Hermione did and he didn't want her to be upset.

"Is there something wrong with him?"

"Probably...but not...it's hard to explain."

"Just tell me!"

"Promise you won't tell anyone."

"I promise."

"He..tr..rap..me."

"What? I didn't hear you."

"He tried to rape me."

"He WHAT?"

"He came up to my room and told me he liked me but I turned him down and he got really angry and..."

"I'll kill him. I'll fucking kill him."

He let go of her and ran out of the door with her chasing after him. She had to stop him from doing something stupid. She managed to catch up with him as he stopped and started searching in his pockets. She ran in front of him and grabbed his arms as he jerked his face up to look at hers. She had never seen so much anger in anybody's eyes before.

"Draco please, don't hurt him, he said he'd come after me if I told anyone."

"First of all, I'm not just going to hurt him, I'm going to kill him. And secondly, he can't exactly come after you if he's dead can he?"

"Kill him? You can't. You'll get into loads of trouble and...it's not right. He'd die in seconds and you'd be in Azkaban for the rest of your life."

"Don't worry I grew up with death eaters, I know how to make it hurt and last for more than a few seconds."

"Don't you even care about being imprisoned forever?"

"Not really, he shouldn't have touched you. He needs to pay."

"And we'll think of a way to do that but don't you dare hurt him. And what are you looking for anyway? What have you got in those robes? It's not a knife or anything is it?"

"Don't be stupid. I'm looking for my wand. I'll need it for the curses and a locating charm. Where is it? Fuck, I think I've lost it."

"Well then that's a sign your not meant to do this. Please Draco."

"But he tried to...it's not right."

"Neither is killing him. And I swear to you Draco Malfoy, I will never speak to you again."

He stared at her for a while trying to determine whether she was being serious or not, but everything about her told him she was. He nodded his head weakly and as she hugged him again he made a promise to himself that if Ron ever did anything to her again, he would personally deliver him to a fate worse than death.

Neither of them had seen the girl with dark hair exit Snape's office. She had been listening for long enough now to see that something had happened to Hermione and that Draco was less than amused. And they were holding each other. Could they be in love? A smile crossed her face at the thought.

She watched them for a while longer then whispered to herself, "Our Romeo has found his Juliet! Won't Sarah be excited! But poor wee Hermy, we will have to help her." And as her grin widened she turned and walked quietly back to her common room.

X------------------------------------------------X

Back up in the Gryffindor common room everybody's attention was on this new girl. Harry and Ron had relaxed a little around her and were now able to hold a decent conversation. So, as a result of this, she was sitting on one of the chairs beside them, talking away. Gryffindors were nothing if not nosy and as they didn't know anything about her they were all listening intently to the conversation transpiring between her, Harry and Ron.

"So, what school did you go to before you came here?"

"Beauxbatons, but I came back to Britain because I hated always having to speak French! I know that's a kind of crappy reason but it's the only one I have!"

"No, it's a good reason. So do you like it here so far?"

"Well, I've not exactly seen much of it apart from corridors and this place. I told you Hermione's supposed to be showing me round. Where is she by the way?"

"Probably the library or something. That's where she is most of the time!"

"So she's a geek?"

"No, she just likes studying. She's really nice though! But, basically she's either studying in the library, eating in the Great Hall, or reading up here. We have to drag her anywhere else!"

"I bet you she has some secret life! And when your not looking...she sneaks out and goes wild!"

"Ha! No, she's not that kind of girl. Plus, we're really the only people she talks to so she'd have to be sneaking out by herself!"

"Well, I think I'll go look for her anyway and get her to show me round. What does she look like?"

"She's got sort of long straightish hair, she's normal height and...that's about it."

"WOW, that was helpful! I'll just go out and ask people if they've seen her or something."

"Fair enough. Do you want one of us to show you to the library?"

"No, I want to try and find it myself. Bye guys!"

She got up, flicked her hair, blew them both a kiss, and made her way out through the portrait-hole. Harry and Ron turned to look at each other, grinning.

"What do you think Harry?"

"She's pretty enough!"

"Pretty? She's bloody stunning!"

"She liked me more you know."

"Shut up Harry!"

X-----------------------------------------X

"I swear to you Draco was hugging Hermione Granger."

"Kirsty, this better not be a piece of gossip."

"Of course it's not! I saw it with my own eyes Sarah. And she looked really upset about something. She was telling Draco not to hurt whoever had done it to her but I couldn't hear who that was."

"Well, we need to find out who. If Draco likes her, then we must like her. He's never been anything but nice to me, this can be my way of repaying him."

"How will liking her repay him?"

"No. We'll have to make the person who hurt the one he loves pay. But you can't tell anyone what you saw. Some of the people in this house are a bit crazy as you very well know. That'll be why he hasn't told anyone. She's a mudblood isn't she? They wouldn't take kindly to that."

"Yeah I suppose you're right! So how are we going to find out the villain's identity?"

"We'll think of a way, don't worry."

"Cool!"

"Were you away with Kevin again before you saw it?"

"Kevin? Who's that?"

"How many times do I have to explain this to you, Kevin is a codename. Honestly! Why is it so hard for you to remember that?"

"Oh! Yes I was! I don't know why it's so hard! I just have a problem with code names."

The two girls continued to speak in hushed voices even though they were alone in Sarah's room. They took matters concerning people they actually liked very seriously. And they liked Draco a lot. He had talked to them many times and not treated them strangely like everyone else did. They would do anything to help him.

X--------------------------------------------X

Hermione had left Draco and was making her way back up the stairs. He had made her feel a lot better. It was the way he hugged her. He made her feel so safe. It was as if as long as he was there nothing would ever hurt her again.

As she reached the first floor a confused looking girl she had never seen before came wandering out of one of the corridors. When she saw Hermione she walked towards and smiling and began talking right away.

"Hey, I'm Steph. I'm new here and I think I've just walked around the whole school twice and the only thing I haven't seen is the library which is what I am, in fact, looking for!"

"I can take you if you want. I'm Hermione by the way."

"Granger?"

"Yes! How did you know?"

This was perhaps a bad idea. The girl started on a long story about the days events and linked arms with Hermione as she led her to the library. She must have talked for twenty minutes without stopping for a breath and Hermione had been tuning her out since the start. But occasionally she would nod so as to pretend that she was still listening. And when Steph laughed, she laughed. But her mind was on other things. And so she didn't realise that she was being asked a question until Steph whacked her in the arm.

"I'm sorry what did you say?"

"I said, so do you have a boyfriend then?"

"Ummm, no."

"You do! I won't tell anybody. Who is it?"

But Hermione knew that she would tell people. Well she didn't exactly know, but she highly suspected. She hadn't even known this girl for a day, she clearly could not just naively trust the girl. Especially as new girls would try anything to get popular and if it was exposing a secret relationship then that wouldn't bother them at all. So she shook her head and tried to look innocent.

"Fine if you're not going to tell me."

"I can't tell you because there's nothing to tell."

"Fine then. Ooh, who's that hottie?"

"Where?"

"That boy with the platinum hair. Oh my God, could be any cuter? I bet he's really popular with the ladies. Does he have a girlfriend? Is he in our year?"

Hermione couldn't help but feel proud when she realised that the girl was talking about Draco. She smiled and stared at him for a while. He was standing with his friends leaning against a wall. But he looked troubled. They were all laughing away, but he was clearly deep in thought. He looked up and their eyes met for a few seconds and a small smile came to his lips. But when he noticed the other girl watching also it turned into a smirk, although he couldn't quite hide the emotion in his eyes.

"Oh, that's just Draco Malfoy, resident ass hole. I heard he was going out with Pansy Parkinson but I'm not sure if that's still on. I think a few girls like him but honestly it's all looks."

"I think he likes me. Do you see the way he's looking over here. Is my hair okay? Look, he wants me so badly!"

How could she respond to that? 'Look your boyfriend wants me!'

"Umm…yeah your hair's fine."

"Well let's go over and talk to him!"

"We can't. He hates me and I hate him. Slytherins and Gryffindors do not get along. It's history and all that. If we went over there they'd eat us alive."

"Don't be stupid. They don't even know me!"

All Hermione could do was follow her as she walked over to the group of Slytherins. She couldn't let the girl do this by herself. When they saw the girls approaching the boys stood up straight, all except Draco who remained leaning on the wall. They seemed intrigued by the stranger and disgusted by the mudblood.

"Ooh, look boys, Granger's found herself a little friend."

"Why won't you just grow up? This wasn't even my idea, she wanted to come over and talk to you for some reason I will never understand."

"Maybe it's because she's bored of your pathetic excuse for conversation. It'll all be about how much you love Draco won't it! That's probably even more boring than your books."

She had forgotten that they all knew about her and Draco sleeping together, even if they didn't know all of the facts. She hated them. Why did they have to be so cocky? She took a hold of Steph's arm and tried to drag her away but she was staring at Blaise, mystified. It was no lie that he was good looking. He was tall, had a nice body (not too muscled but just enough to get girls from the whole school swooning), black hair and dark blue eyes. but there was something off about him in Hermione's opinion, something that should send girl's running but usually just drew them in closer. He acted almost like an animal. He didn't walk, he snuck up on people. And he stared at them like pieces of meat.

At that moment he moved forward and began circling Steph very slowly, staring at her from all angles. He traced the outline of her jaw with his finger and whispered things nobody else could make out in her ear. He stepped back from her and turned towards Hermione once again.

"She's a pretty little thing. Wherever did you find her?"

"That's none of your business Blaise. We're leaving now."

"I don't see her moving! What's her name?"

"Steph, if you must know. Leave her alone."

"Leave her alone? I'm not doing anything Granger."

"Your whispering to her, and knowing you it won't be nice things."

"Your scared of what I'm whispering! You can't stand the fact that I could tell her your naughty little secret at any time and you can do nothing to stop me."

Hermione just stared at him. It was true. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to aggravate him as any such move would just force him into telling. But on the other hand, she wasn't going to beg. So she stayed silent. But Draco stepped forward and although he was looking at Hermione, he addressed Blaise.

"Don't you dare tell that little bitch anything. She'll go tell the dream team up in Gryffindor and all hell will break loose. Plus, do you think I want anybody knowing about it?"

"Alright Draco. But why do you care if there's a fight? We'd slaughter them, you know we would!"

"Yeah and I'm not saying there won't be one in the future, just not now. We do it on our terms and when we're ready. Besides, I can't be bothered with everyone talking about my business behind my back."

This seemed to satisfy Blaise and he turned back to face the girls once more with a devious look in his eyes. They all knew that the fight would take place. It had been looming for years. All the tension between the two houses would one day come to a head and the day seemed to be drawing ever nearer. But Hermione didn't want to think of such things. She instead managed to drag Steph away and ran up the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower. But she managed to get free after about five minutes and jerked Hermione round to face her.

"What the hell was all that about between you and Draco?"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"I'm talking about the secret they were all talking about, it clearly involved you."

"I don't know, they were probably just talking about the fact that I'm a muggleborn witch. They take great delight in reminding me all the time."

Steph stopped her questioning for a moment and appeared to be thinking about what she had been told. She was presumably trying to work out if it made sense or not. Hermione took the opportunity to start walking and headed off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. She had barely gone a few steps when the other girl ran up beside her and started talking again.

"But it involved that boy, Draco. How would you being muggleborn be his business?"

"He makes that type of thing his business, they all do. Honestly, don't get yourself involved with them, the Slytherins take great delight in mocking everybody they can. They'll find something about you and they'll hold it above your head for the rest of time."

"Oh my God you've been involved with one of them? Which one?"

"I didn't mean involved in that way! I meant like, don't befriend any of them. They hate me purely for the fact that my parents are muggles. And they are all in league with Voldemort."

"Ooh, bad boys!"

"Ha, yes bad boys! I know a few of them are good looking but it's like I already told you, there's not much else to them."

"What about Draco? Which reminds me, you never answered my original question."

"I did you just didn't believe me. And Draco...well...he's just the same."

"No, he didn't make fun of you when the others did. He stood behind them all. Maybe he just needs a hug or something! I'd give him a lot more than a hug if you know what I mean!"

"I think a lot of girls in this school would! But I'm telling you, you don't want to be hanging around with boys like him."

"I like that kind of boy! Do you think maybe I should fool around with him for a while? I mean he was really good looking but I maybe preferred Blaise. No. I think Draco would be better. I bet you I could get him in bed in less than a week!"

"You would not."

"I will. And I'll tell you all about it afterwards if you want."

"Stay away from him or I swear..."

When she realised what she had said Hermione put her hand over her mouth to try and stop anything else from getting out. The look of shock on Steph's face told her that her comments hadn't gone unnoticed. She grew even more worried when a big grin appeared on Steph's face as she ran forward and hugged Hermione. When she let go she looked really excited and was bouncing up and down on the spot.

"You like him, don't you? Is that what the secret was? You like him and he's embarrassed about it."

She thought about that option for a minute and decided that it would shut Steph up and as embarrassing as it would be to have this girl think she had a crush on Draco and that he was embarrassed about it, it wasn't that awful a story. A lot of girls liked Draco so it would make some sense that she did too. Also...she did like him so it wouldn't be a total lie.

"Yes that's what it was. But...don't tell anyone...please."

"Ooh, Hermione! Don't you feel like we've bonded now? I won't try and seduce him any more, even though you clearly have no chance. I mean, I wouldn't do that to a friend. Oh my God, you're my first friend at this school."

And once again Hermione tried to block her out. She steered the small girl up towards their common room. It was quite late at night by that point and sleeping seemed like the best plan! They made their way through the empty corridors, up the stairs, through the deserted common room and up to their dorm room. Steph was still talking as Hermione got changed. And as she fell asleep in her bed there were thoughts of Draco in her head.

X----------------------------------X

Hermione awoke to Steph standing beside her bed, a huge grin on her face, and talking so fast that she could barely make out a word of what she was saying. All that Hermione could think was whether the girl ever shut up or not!

"Oh my God, it's my first morning here, what do we do in the mornings? Where do we get Breakfast? I'm starving! Aren't you starving?"

"I am kind of hungry I guess. Right, get changed then I'll take you to get something to eat."

The girls got changed quickly and were down in the common room before everyone else. Hermione had almost forgotten about the incident with Ron until that moment. Steph wanted to wait for him and Harry, and despite insisting that she had suddenly become starving as well Steph had managed to force Hermione into a chair to wait for them.

Ginny came down first and immediately began talking to Steph. They seemed to get along quite well and Hermione had no desire to join in the conversation no matter how much they tried to include her. About ten minutes later she heard two familiar voices coming down the stairs and stood up. She wanted to get down to the Great Hall as soon as possible.

"Hey Gin, how are you?"

"I'm fine Harry. Baby how are you?"

To Hermione's horror they began kissing and after a while they started giggling and tickling each other. Hermione was sufficiently disgusted that she turned away. She took hold of Steph's arm and announced, "Well, we're off for some Breakfast. You may join us if you wish."

She strode through the portrait hole dragging Steph behind her. Ron, Harry and Ginny followed shortly behind them and every time Ron tried to catch up with her, Hermione would speed up.

When they got to the Great Hall a few people turned to look at Steph in curiosity but most of them just carried on eating. Hermione's worst fears were realised when Ron sat beside her, but she wouldn't let him see that she was scared. She promised herself that. She tried to ignore him for a while by reading her potions book and not talking to anybody so that it didn't look suspicious. She glanced over at the Slytherin table and found that Draco was staring back. He was mouthing something to her that she couldn't quite make out so she tried to mouth, "What?" back.

"Who are you talking to Hermione?"

"Nobody Ron, now leave me alone I'm trying to read."

"But I want to talk to you about what happened."

Everybody around them was engaged in a separate conversation so they couldn't hear what he was saying. Hermione lowered her voice nonetheless and hissed, "You mean when you tried to force yourself on me?"

"You know it wasn't like that."

"Actually, I don't."

"Don't talk crap, you were well up for it!"

"I was not. I told you I didn't want you and I tried to push you off me."

"Shut your face."

"No I will not, I'm not scared of you Ron."

"I can see it in your eyes that you are. And for good reason too. You know what I could do to you."

"So you're admitting it now are you?"

"I didn't do anything to you. All I'm saying is that if you tell anyone about your little fantasies of what happened, I'll hurt you more than you ever thought possible."

"What's happened to you?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's happened to me. Don't be stupid."

"You've changed. You've gone crazy for God's sake."

"I am not. I'm just taking what's rightfully mine."

Before she could answer he grabbed her face and pulled it towards his, locking their lips in a kiss.

X-----------------------------------X

Draco had been trying to tell Hermione to meet him after she finished eating, when he saw Ron start talking to her. It looked like they were fighting but he was too far away to really be able to tell. But when Ron had kissed Hermione, he couldn't hold himself back. He jumped over the table and ran as fast as he could towards the Gryffindors followed by Blaise and a few other Slytherin boys.

Hermione managed to get free just before he reached her but it didn't matter. By that point the whole school was watching him, several of the teachers screaming at him to stop, but hardly anybody had seen Ron kiss Hermione, and the ones who had, had no idea that was why Draco was about to attack him.

He jumped onto the Gryffindor table and grabbed Ron by his shoulders, pulling him out of his seat, and punched him in the face. Everyone gasped, then the whole hall was in uproar, but Draco paid no attention. He had Ron on the floor and he was hitting him as hard as he could. The other Slytherins had taken Draco's actions as a cue to start fighting with the other Gryffindors and were all engaged in fights of their own.

It took a while for Ron's shock to subside but when it did he began fighting back. He managed to punch Draco in the eye and burst his nose as well, but before he could do any more damage Professor Snape managed to pull Draco off and with the aid of a few others managed to restrain him.

"This isn't over Weasley, I'll fucking kill you, you hear me?"

"Now Draco, should you really be making such threats when I, your head of house, is here?"

"I don't care Sir. I swear I'll get him if it's the last thing I do."

"We will talk about this in my office. Oh and by the way," he lowered his voice so that nobody except Draco could hear him, "I saw Mr Weasley kissing your little girlfriend."


	11. Chapter 11

"So Draco...what do you have to say for yourself?"

"What exactly do you want me to say?"

Professor Snape looked down at the blonde haired boy sitting in his office. He looked just as emotionless and cold as he always did. There was an unnerving coolness about him as if he hadn't a care in the world. If it hadn't been for the blood and bruises on his knuckles and face nobody would have guessed that he had just been in a fight.

"I want you to tell me what made you attack Mr Weasley in the Great Hall just there."

"He deserved it."

"Because he kissed your girlfriend?"

"She is not my girlfriend!"

"Miss Granger?"

"Yeah Granger...why?"

"How did you know who I was referring to Mr Malfoy?"

"What? Look just cut the crap and hand out my punishment."

"No Draco. I want you to answer some questions first."

"Such as?"

"Why was Miss Granger crying for you that day I found her just outside of here?"

"This again? I already told you...she must just have been trying to get close to me or something. A lot of girls act that way around me."

"Stop being such an arrogant little prat. I know that it's just an act you put on and frankly I'm sick of you hiding behind it. I already know that you're seeing that girl. Why won't you just admit it?"

"What girl?"

"Don't play dumb with me Draco. You know all too well who I'm talking about. Hermione Granger ring a bell?"

"That mudblood? Why have you got it into your head that I'm with her? I would never disgrace the Malfoy name in such a way."

"You would for love."

"Don't be gay sir!"

"Shut your mouth Draco Malfoy. Whether you are going to admit it to me or not, it's still happening. Don't fight it boy. I did and I've regretted it ever since."

Draco said nothing for a while and instead stared at his dark haired teacher. He had no idea what he could possibly say to him. He wanted to admit what was going on, to finally tell someone, but he couldn't. He couldn't be sure that Snape was being honest or if he was just trying to humiliate him. And if Lucius or any of his friends found out...it wouldn't be pretty.

"Can I go now?"

"Fine. But I will get this out of you one day."

"No Sir...you won't."

Draco got up and left, neither having anything more to say.

X--------------------------------X

"I wonder if Ron's ok."

"Yeah...me too."

"You don't look it. Is something wrong Hermione?"

"No Harry. I'm fine. It's just...why are you worrying so much about Ron? You got hurt too."

"Did you not see him? I got a few bruises but that's about it. It's one of those times where it looks worse than it is! But Ron...his nose his broken, he got two black eyes and I think he broke his arm."

"How do you know that? I didn't know Madame Pomfrey had told anyone what was wrong yet."

"Nah she hasn't but it looked really bad. His arm is the only bit I'm not sure about but he couldn't move it and he was in agony so I'm guessing it's broken. I think that bastard Malfoy tried to rip it off or something. What do you think got into him anyway? It just came totally out of the blue."

"I guess he just got fed up doing nothing."

"What?"

"I mean, well you've all been mocking each other for years, maybe he just decided it was time to take it to the next level or something."

"I see you've conveniently left out the fact that you were doing the mocking as well! Back to the point though, he is such a dick! I bet they expel him for it. At least then one good thing will have come out of all of this."

"You don't actually think they would do you?"

"Yeah probably! I hope they do anyway, does anybody actually like him?"

Just at that moment Hermione felt someone tap her on the back and she turned to see Lavender Brown standing behind her. She looked nervous and worried. Hermione had never seen her like that before. She was usually giggling or flirting with some boys, she had never really seen her acting serious.

"Hermione...can I talk to you? In private."

"Sure Lavender. I'll be back in a minute Harry."

She followed Lavender up the stairs to their dormitory. When they were safely inside Lavender closed the door behind them and ragged Hermione over to sit on her bed.

"What did Ron do to you?"

"Excuse me?"

" That night, when I came in, you looked so scared. I know you weren't happy about what was going on."

"I'm sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. And just there, in the Great Hall, I saw him kiss you. You two were fighting...I saw you. Then he just kissed you. What's going on?"

"Nothing. He just...that night in the room...he kissed me and I got freaked out that's all. I screamed as a reflex I think. I think he was kind of embarrassed about it and that's why he said that stuff to you."

"And today?"

"I don't know, he kissed me again."

It was obvious that Lavender didn't believe a word of what she was saying. She looked at Hermione for a while then leaned over and hugged her tightly. "It's okay, it's not your fault and I won't tell anyone," she whispered and Hermione started crying. She managed to control herself enough that she made no noise but tears still rolled down her cheeks. She was glad to once again have a girl to comfort her, she had lost Ginny to Harry a long time before then.

X-----------------------------------------X

It was past midnight and Hermione was lying awake in her bed, thinking about things. As much as she tried, she couldn't sleep but as she could hear the soft snores of the other girls she knew that she was the only one. She thought about everything that had happened to her and wished that she could just leave. Everything had become so complicated recently and Draco was the only thing she really cared about any more. She wondered what her friends would think if she told them and it made her laugh to even think about it.

But her thoughts were cut short. She could hear something moving around just outside her window. The room was almost pitch black though, and she couldn't make out what it was. Slowly the window opened and whatever it was climbed in. She could see that it was about six feet tall and was horrified when it started going to all of the different beds, looking at the girls sleeping in them. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to look as if she was asleep.

She heard it's footsteps moving around the room and her heart raced as they came towards her bed. She was petrified. It stopped beside her for what seemed like hours and she could tell that it was staring at her. Her heart sped up even more when she heard the floorboards creak as he slowly stepped closer to her. She could feel his breath on her face now and as he stroked her cheek she let out a small whimper.

She heard him laugh slightly and her eyes snapped open as she recognised it. Draco was smiling down at her and she could see him clearly now that he had pulled the hood down on his black cloak.

"Don't look so surprised. I was hardly going to wander around down in the dungeons by myself at night now was I!"

"Draco you asshole, you terrified me!"

"Shhh! You'll wake up your friends."

"Well we'll just have to be quiet then won't we!"

She took hold of his hand and pulled him down onto her bed. She closed the curtains of her four poster bed around them and whispered a charm to keep them from being opened and any sound from getting out. As she lay back down he climbed on top of her slowly kissing her neck. She pulled his cloak off and smiled as she saw his perfect body once again.

Draco followed her lead and began to remove her pyjamas. He kissed her again, this time on the mouth and he could feel her smiling against his lips. They continued this way for a while, but each one had been kept from the other for too long and it wasn't long before things progressed. It was as if the whole world had melted away and they loved it!

When it was over and they were almost asleep Hermione remembered something that had been worrying her before he arrived.

"You're not going to get expelled are you?"

"I don't think so. Who said that I was?"

"Harry, sort of. He said that he thought you probably would be, you know, because of you attacking another student!"

"No. Snape will probably just give me detention for a few years! But seriously, him and my father go too far back for him to expel me."

"That's ok! I was worried that you'd get kicked out and it'd be my fault."

"And how would it be your fault?"

"I'm not stupid. I know that you saw Ron kiss me and that's why you did it. Isn't it?"

"Well, yeah. But you told me not to hurt him so it had nothing to do with you. I'm sorry by the way, well no I'm actually not. I had to hurt him."

"It's alright! It actually felt strangely good to see him getting the crap kicked out of him! I think you've infected me with your violent ways!"

"Most likely."

They stopped talking and instead waited for sleep to come. Draco put his arm round Hermione and held her closer to him, he wanted to feel her near. So did she. She loved the way his body felt against hers but she was too tired to think about it for long and she was soon asleep.

X----------------------------------X

Draco woke up and checked his watch as he always did. It was half past six. It was Saturday morning and he had Quidditch practise in half an hour. He loved Quidditch! He tried to sit up and was startled to find that he couldn't as someone was holding on to him. When he looked down and saw Hermione hugging him in her sleep he remembered where he was.

He was with her in a Gryffindor girls' dorm. He managed to lift Hermione off him and tried to peek out of the curtains to see if any of the other girls were awake and check if the coast was clear but they wouldn't open. He tried all different places but it was as if they were locked or something. Hermione woke up due to all of the noise and fuss he was making about it. He looked like a confused little boy on the verge of a tantrum and it made her laugh.

"Well I'm glad that you find this funny Granger but I am slightly less amused that we're trapped."

"We are not. I charmed the curtains, remember? It's lucky I did as well with all the noise your making!"

"What the hell would you do a stupid thing like that for?"

"So that none of the other girls would open the curtains and find you lying in here with me."

"Oh...right."

"Yeah! Wait a minute."

She said the counter curse and the gaps in the curtains appeared once again. Stepping out she looked around, and turned back to face him whispering, "Right they're all still asleep, you better leave now."

"Yeah I've got Quidditch any way. Hey, you want to come?"

"Because me coming to watch you play Quidditch would look completely normal."

"Just sit on the ground near us and pretend to be reading something."

"Fine then I'll come!"

"Don't pretend you're bored, you can't wait I know it! Just don't be telling any of your Gryffindor team members any of our secret moves."

"How would I even be able to describe them? I know almost nothing about Quidditch."

They got changed quickly and managed to get outside without anyone seeing. Draco needed to run back to the dungeons to get his quidditch stuff so Hermione set off by herself.

X---------------------------------X

She was sitting beside one of the stands when she saw Draco walk over to his team mates. She tried to look as if she was concentrating fully on her book but she couldn't help staring when she realised that Draco and the others were having some sort of argument. After only a few minutes Draco threw his broom on the ground and stormed past her in the direction of Hogwarts. He was clearly annoyed.

She waited a few minutes before she went after him so that it didn't look suspicious. When the other boys had turned their attention back to the practise she got up and followed in Draco's footsteps. She found him sitting under a tree not that far away. When he heard her approach him he glared up at her but she sat beside him anyway.

"Well you took your time."

"What did you want me to do? Run after you while the whole team was watching?"

"I've been suspended from the team."

"Because of the fight?"

"That's what they said. Fuck's sake, all of them have been in at least one fight and they're all still allowed to play."

"But the one yesterday was a big one."

"Some of them were in it with me."

"But you started it and everyone knows that. Professor Snape will just be trying to make an example of you."

"No. He's pissed off at me because he was asking me about you and I denied it to his face. I don't know how but he knows, and he's using this to get me to admit it."

"Either that or it's because he hates me and he wants you to dump me."

"No, you didn't see him. He was telling me not to fight it and all this shit about doing anything for love."

"Well, if he knows won't he tell your father?"

"I thought so but he would have done it already and if my father knew...he'd have been up here before now."

"Well maybe if you tell Snape the truth he'll let you back on the team."

"Are you on something? You actually think we should tell him?"

"Why not? Look, we might as well if he already knows."

"Fuck no! You can tell him if you want but I am not going to sit there and discuss my business with that greasy old man."

"Well we have to tell him something. Let's say we've been doing some homework together."

"He didn't believe that the first time and he won't believe it now. Wait, why don't we tell him about the bet. We'll say that I slept with you for a bet and you were crying because you found out."

"Yeah that gets you out of it but it's kind of embarrassing for me don't you think?!"

"Oh no what a disaster! And we all know that you want Snape to love you so much!"

She couldn't help but smile and agree when she saw the joy tugging at the side of his eyes, she loved exchanging jibes with him, now that there was no hint of malice in his eyes. She stood up, nodded and pulled him up by the hand and they set off to tell Snape together. They were heading for his office but Draco was sure that he heard someone say 'Snape' as they passed one of the greenhouses. He persuaded her to go and investigate with him to see if their Potions Master was in there but they didn't see anyone at first. Hermione was about to suggest that they leave when they heard a moaning sound. Both of them knew exactly what type of act included moans like that and they had to try very hard to stop themselves from laughing. They didn't want to come face to face with the two horny students and were turning to leave when they heard something that would disturb them for the rest of their lives.

"Oh Kirsty spank me again!"

"You like that Severus baby?"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Draco and Hermione were standing in the middle of one of the school's greenhouses...speechless. Although they still couldn't see anyone neither of one was in any doubt as to what they had heard. It had been their Potions Master telling one of his pupils to spank him and there was no point denying it. Hermione slowly turned to Draco and whispered, "Don't make any noise Malfoy. If we leave now and never speak of this again then neither of them ever has to know that we heard them."

"Yeah okay. I knew it though! I told you there was something going on between him and Kirsty. Do you remember her? She is that girl in the year below us. Finally some proof!"

"This is hardly the time for that! We have to..."

Just then Snape moaned really loudly and the shock forced Hermione to scream. She put her hand over her mouth immediately afterwards but by then it was too late...the damage had been done. They heard muffled swearing and suddenly Professor Snape emerged from between a row of desks. He was about ten feet away from them and even although he was trying to act calmly they could tell that he was nervous. He obviously didn't couldn't be sure how long they had been there and what it was that they had heard.

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, what or who exactly is it that you are looking for?"

"As it would happen...we were looking for you."

"And why would that be Draco?"

"It would appear that you have kicked me off the Quidditch team. I can see that you are somewhat otherwise engaged at the moment but I was wondering if you would be willing to discuss reconsidering."

"You were in a fight Draco. I have to punish you for that. You are just lucky that I didn't do something worse. The school rules state that you should be suspended for that kind of behaviour. You know that."

"I suppose I could go and talk to Dumbledore then. I'll just tell him that you were too...busy!"

"Now you listen to me..."

"No Sir, _you_ listen to _me_. The four of us seem to have found ourselves in an interesting situation."

"The four of us? I only see three people here Draco."

"Really? Maybe you should check underneath that table beside you then. I'm sure you'd find a young Slytherin girl by the name of Kirsty hiding there."

Kirsty jumped out from under the table with a big grin on her face. She was giggling and tried to link arms with Snape. He didn't seem to realise what she was doing at first but when he did he quickly pushed her away and her grin vanished.

"I'm helping Kirsty with her schoolwork. She has been having some trouble."

"With her spanking technique? Funnily enough I've heard that that's very common in underage girls."

"I'm not underage Draco! I turned sixteen a few months ago. You won't tell anyone about this though will you? I didn't tell anyone apart from Sarah about the time I saw you with Hermione. Well no that's not true. I told Severus...but I can't keep anything from him. I'm sorry."

"I won't tell anyone as long as I get what I want. But, what are you talking about seeing me with Hermione? We go to the same school obviously I would be with her sometimes, not when I can help it however. There is nothing going on between us."

When Snape saw that Draco had once again started lying about his feelings for the mudblood, he decided it was time to end that particular charade once and for all.

"Don't start this again Draco. I am your House Master and as such I expect you to tell me the truth. If there is in fact nothing going on, then why are you two here together? Why are two people who hate each other spending time with each other when they are not being forced? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Why else would you be going around with an ugly, pitiful, mudblood if you didn't love her Draco?"

"Don't you dare say that about her. She is one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen, and she is far from pitiful. And she may be a mudblood but she is more intelligent and just generally better than any pure blooded witch I've ever met. You take it back or I'll hit you so hard they won't be able to recognise you, and I don't care that you're a teacher."

But Snape said nothing. He stared at Draco with a satisfied glint in his eye. Slowly a smirk appeared on his oily face and he took a few steps closer to Draco.

"Now there will be no need for that young Mr Malfoy! I do believe that I just got what I was looking for. I know that she's not any of those things but if you still felt the way you once did about her, you would have thought that she was. I believe that me knowing this little secret of yours will be a sufficient punishment for you. You shall be allowed back on the team in two weeks and none of this will leave this room. And I do mean _none_ of this Draco."

Draco may have been stubborn but he knew when he had been beaten. It would be pointless to try and deny it any more. He took Hermione's hand and led her out and away from the greenhouse, leaving Snape and Kirsty alone once more.

"Why did you push me away Severus? Are you ashamed of me baby?"

"Of course not, but you know that we can't have this little affair leaking out, it would ruin me."

"I know that. So where were we you naughty boy? I think you need to be punished!"

"I have been naughty haven't I!"

X-----------------------------------------X

"Oh Blaise baby...please don't stop!"

"I have to go, you know I do. Draco got suspended from the team and he was really pissed off about it. I need to go and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. Or if he does I want to be included!"

"Blaise, I want you to be honest with me, are you and Draco gay lovers?"

"Don't be disgusting Stephanie. Why would I be sleeping with you if I was gay?"

"I don't know. It's just that I've read in my magazines and stuff that sometimes guys go to loads of trouble to hide it if they are gay."

"Do I act gay or something?"

"No baby! I just thought that I should ask. Why don't you come here and prove to me again how straight you are!"

"Don't try and change the subject... you totally think that I'm gay."

"I was only asking! What's the deal with Draco anyway? He's by far one of the hottest guys I've ever seen and every girl would love to be with him but he doesn't have a girlfriend."

"What so you want to fuck him now? He's my best friend. I can't believe you."

"I don't. I just wanted to know if he was gay or not."

"Nah, no way! Just ask your mudblood friend."

"Just because she likes him doesn't prove that he isn't gay!"

"No, I mean...she's got first hand proof that he isn't gay if you know what I mean! He hasn't been with anyone since her but he has just had other stuff on his mind. Although there have been a few nights where I'm sure that I've heard him with someone in his room but he denies it. I just always thought he was wanking or something. What if it _was_ guys that he was with. Holy shit."

"Wait a minute what do you mean that she's got first hand proof? And you said that he's been with her? Like actually _been_ with her?"

"Look Draco told me not to tell anyone so I won't, but why don't you just ask her? She's got a freakier side than all of you Gryffindors seem to think! Back to the point though, it totally all makes sense now, the sneaking around late at night, the noises coming from his room. Did it say in your magazine if gay boys usually try and seduce their best friends or anything? He better not ass rape me while I'm sleeping. Shit, Draco's gay."

X-------------------------------------X

Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room alone having left Draco at the bottom of the stairs. He would be with his friends by now and she was about to be with hers too. She saw them sitting in the same place that they always did. Ron and Harry were, as usual, playing Wizard Chess, and Ginny was sitting beside Harry kissing him and cheering if he managed to destroy one of Ron's pieces .She was making shocked faces every time Ron was the one doing the destroying.

When she saw Hermione approaching Ginny ran towards her. She dragged her up the stairs to her bedroom. This was becoming a regular occurrence for Hermione and she began to wonder why nobody ever wanted to talk in the common room any more. As Ginny once again forced her to sit on the bed in anticipation of the other person speaking she wasn't all that interested. She assumed correctly that Ginny would be going to tell another 'fascinating' story about what Harry and her got up to when they were alone. She talked for a while about how Harry never wanted to just talk any more until she realised that she didn't have Hermione's full attention.

"Sorry if my problems bore you."

"No it's not that Ginny. I've just been kind of tired recently. I'm sorry."

"It's okay! Everybody gets tired sometimes. Plus I suppose that it's not really that interesting for you because you've never done anything with boys. You just have to sit there and listen. When you get a boyfriend it'll be better. We'll be able to talk about more things then. As long as it's not Ron! I don't want to hear that type of thing about my brother!"

"Don't even worry about me ever going out with Ron. But what do you mean about having more to talk about? Why would we have more to talk about it I had a boyfriend? Maybe some things shouldn't be talked about.''

"Hermione, you wouldn't say that if you had one. All you'd ever want to talk about would be him."

"But some people just can't. It's different when the situations are different."

"Whatever! If you wore some sexier clothes all the boys would be after you. They'd be falling at your feet. And don't answer so much in class, it can be intimidating."

"Where the hell did that come from Gin? I'm not going to change myself for any boy. If I have to put on an act for him to like me then it's not meant to be. I want him to love _me_, not somebody I'm pretending to be."

"But that is clearly not working for you is it? Look, I don't want to be the one to have to say this to you but I have to, you're not the prettiest girl ever to have walked this Earth. I'm not saying that you're ugly, far from it, but you have to make some more of an effort to attract any male attention."

"I can't believe you just said that. I'm going to bed now so if you wouldn't mind could you please leave."

Ginny got up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She clearly didn't like being confronted. Hermione got changed and got into bed. She was hiding so many different things from so many different people and she didn't know if she'd ever be able to untangle the web of lies she had trapped herself in. But did she want to? She didn't want to lose Draco and if lying to the world was the way to keep him...so be it.

X-----------------------------------X

The next morning came quickly and breakfast was mostly uneventful. Ginny hadn't fallen out with Hermione but she wasn't going out of her way to talk to her either. Afterwards Hermione made her way down to Snape's dungeons for double Potions, with the Slytherins, with Harry and Ron. They were talking about Quidditch but all she could think about was Snape and Kirsty in the greenhouse. She didn't know if she'd be able to sit through a double period without laughing hysterically at least twice.

The assignment was making a wound healing potion and although Hermione found it quite straight forward a lot of other people were having trouble with it. She was sitting beside Lavender and to everyone's surprise they were laughing, and joking, and getting along really well. They were one of the first groups finished and when Snape saw this he ordered the whole class to gather around them.

"It is time for one of these girls to test their potion. Miss Granger maybe?"

"Yes, I'll do it Sir."

Snape instructed Blaise, who was nearest to the cauldron, to fill up a beaker with potion and pass it to her. She took it from him and turned back to face Snape.

"I shall make a small cut on your hand and then you can take the potion you have made and that will be your test. If the wound heals then you have succeeded, if not you will have to start again and keep trying till you get it right."

He took her hand and pointed his wand at it. Blood started gushing from a long, thin cut on her palm, although she felt no pain. She lifted the potion to her lips with the other hand and swallowed a bit. Everybody crowded closer, staring at her upturned palm, to see if it made any difference. At first everything was going well and the wound did indeed get smaller but after a few seconds she started to feel faint. Then she was certain that she was going to vomit. She ran from the classroom in the direction of the nearest bathroom, leaving everyone staring after her.

"I don't understand Sir, we did everything right."

But Draco thought that he understood. He turned to Blaise who's face had broken out into one of the largest grins Draco had ever seen on his best friend's face. He moved closer to Blaise, who when he realised Draco was closer seemed to panic and try to turn away. But Draco wasn't put off, he whispered to him, "What did you do to that potion Blaise? And don't even attempt to lie to me."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Don't fuck with me Blaise, I know it was you."

"Draco, how many times can I tell you it wasn't? I wish it had been though. She deserves it, the filthy wench."

"So you swear it wasn't you?"

"Jesus Christ man, why do you even care? She's just a stupid mudblood. Plus, she's part of the Gryffindor freaks squad."

"I don't care. I just...I just wanted to know."

"What's got into you? You've been acting really weird lately''

Draco didn't answer. The truth was that he didn't think that he had changed. He was still the same as he always had been, he was sure of it. He still hated Potty, Weasel and...Hermione? He didn't hate her, but that couldn't have made him change, could it? It wasn't as if he had suddenly turned into the fourth member of their pathetic little evil-hating team. Maybe it was the fact that he had to keep it to himself. Perhaps it was eating away at him because it was a secret. He turned to Blaise. Could he be trusted?

Blaise watched his best friend. They had been walking for a while since being dismissed from Potions. Blaise couldn't see what had annoyed Draco so much about the know-it-all's sudden illness. In his opinion, it was one of the funniest things he had seen since...well he couldn't think of anything funnier. That's not entirely true, but nothing recently had been funnier.

But then he remembered something. Draco had slept with her! Could he have feelings for her? He was just about to ask him when Draco turned around and put his hand on Blaise's shoulder, forcing him to stop walking. He then tried to drag him into a nearby storage cupboard but Blaise fought back with all his strength.

"Will you stop fighting me please! I just want to talk to you in private."

"No you don't. I know what guys like you do to innocent boys like me in cupboards!"

"What the hell are you talking about you psychopath? Just come with me, it won't take long"

"I don't care how long it's going to take, I don't want to be any part of it. Let me go. LET ME GO."

But Draco was stronger and managed to push his best friend into the small, dark space. He closed the door behind him and when he saw the panic in Blaise's eyes and realised that he was about to scream, he slid his hand over his near hysterical friend's mouth. This just made Blaise worse and he started making desperate bids for freedom by attempting to run past Draco. It didn't work.

"Your calling me weird and you act like this? Just shut the hell up and listen to me. Are you going to stay silent if I take my hand off your mouth?"

Blaise nodded and slowly Draco removed his hand. But as soon as he did, Blaise started screaming and shouting again and Draco had no choice but to punch him. It was the only way he could think of to get his friend to at least shut up. He drew his fist back and then sent it crashing into the other boy's face. The shock made him temporarily stop wailing and Draco saw his opportunity.

"You want me to do that again? No, I didn't think you would. Why are you overreacting so much? It's just a cupboard."

"I told you, I don't want to be any part of this. I don't care who you choose to sleep with but please, just leave me alone."

"You know?"

"Of course I know, it's fucking obvious. Just please, let me leave."

"You've gone out with some dodgy girls in your time but I never stopped talking to you over it."

"But that was totally different and you know it. What the hell is your dad going to say, Draco? You know he'll kill you. And if my dad hears that I was in a cupboard with a...a...I can't even say it. He'll think I'm one too."

Draco was starting to get really confused. He could see that Blaise would be worried about what Lucius would say, but his own father? He couldn't see how Mr. Zabini would think that Blaise was a mudblood if he spent time in a cupboard with Draco. Did he mean that he would think that Blaise was sleeping with one as well? But that didn't make any sense either.

"Yeah, Lucius will probably disown me but how will you get punished for it?"

"For letting you do it or something. Plus a gay boy in a cupboard with another boy doesn't look good."

"Your gay?"

"Hell no!"

Both boys were staring at each other in confusion thinking the exact same thing, "What the hell is he talking about?" Realisation slowly dawned on Draco but Blaise still couldn't quite get his head around it. He was still trying to work out why Draco had thought he was gay. Perhaps he had been giving out some sort of signal that he didn't mean to. Or maybe Draco could see something that he couldn't. Could he be gay? He tried to remember if it was possible to like girls if you were gay. He didn't think it was, though. He noticed that Draco was about to speak again and decided to act quickly. There was only one way for him to find out if he really was gay. He leant forward and kissed a startled Draco on the lips and just at the moment the door opened.

X-----------------------------------------------------X

Hermione opened her eyes and sat up. She looked around and realised that she was in the hospital wing. The only other person there was a boy, whom she was sure was a first year. He was sitting up in his bed reading and glanced up when he saw Hermione move. He smiled at her and leant forward, straining his neck to look at her.

"Excuse me I don't mean to be rude but, but what are you looking at?"

"I'm not looking _at _anything. I'm looking _for _some sign of why you're in here. Like a cast or something."

"Oh right! I suddenly felt really sick in potions. I'd just drunk a potion, so that might have been why. How about you?''

"Fell off my broom. I'll be leaving soon, hopefully."

Just then Madame Pomfrey rushed in, closely followed by Snape. They headed straight for Hermione's bed and positioned themselves, one on either side. Snape was the first to speak and his troubled eyes made her uneasy. He was never one to openly worry about anything and a feeling of dread came over her as she waited for him to speak.

"Miss Granger, Madame Pomfrey and I are very confused about this sudden illness of yours. Have you ever suffered anything like this before?"

"No Sir. Well...I've been sick before, obviously. But it's never come on that quickly before. I'm confused though, wasn't it just a badly made potion?"

"That is what we suspected, but we have just come from the dungeons and after testing the potion, it was found to be perfect."

If Hermione hadn't been so bewildered, she would have been pleased that Professor Snape had said that her potion was "perfect". If the potion hadn't been faulty, then what could have made her sick? But Madame Pomfrey's voice broke in and interrupted her thoughts.

"Is it your time of the month, dear?"

Hermione was so horrified to be asked such a question in front of Snape that she was lost for words. He was looking at her intently and she really didn't want to answer in front of him.

"Miss Granger, would you please answer the question."

"No, it isn't."

"And when is your next period due?"

It was getting worse. She didn't want Snape to know when she would have her period. Knowing him, he would probably wait until he knew she had it and then announce it to the whole class, or give her a truth potion and make her tell them herself. So she moved as close to Madame Pomfrey as she could and whispered, "About a week from now."

But Madam Pomfrey didn't take the hint. In fact, she began speaking in a much louder voice than she had been before.

"You see some girls experience nausea around the time of their period so I suspected it could be that. However the severity of the case looks rather suspicious to me. Perhaps the potion had something added to it. A vomiting elixir or something similar? Would that be possible Severus?"

"Yes it is, but it would be very unusual for one of those elixirs not to show up when I tested the potion earlier. It would have to be a very complex potion that your average prankster just wouldn't go to the effort of making when there are several much easier versions which have almost the exact same effect."

"But Sir, if they have the exact same effect then why would anybody make the more difficult one?"

"The only difference is that the simple ones leave traces and the complex ones do not. Also, the more difficult variations have different side effects which you don't seem to be suffering from. I really don't think that is what could have happened."

Madame Pomfrey stared down at Hermione in confusion. She began muttering to herself and shaking her head. When Snape asked her what was wrong, she turned to face him and the confusion had turned to fear.

"She couldn't be that stupid."

"Me? What do you mean?"

"I will prepare the test."

"What test? What are you talking about?"

But nobody answered Hermione's question. Madame Pomfrey was over on the other side of the room looking for something and Snape had sat down beside the bed.

"Sir, do you know what she meant?"

"I think I do, Miss Granger."

"Well, what was it? Why will nobody tell me?"

"I just hope she is wrong."

"About what?"

"It's best not to worry you until we are sure."

X------------------------------------------------X

Harry ran along the corridor until he got to Gryffindor tower. He was so excited that he almost forgot the password, but as soon as he got through the door he started shouting for his best friends. He was bursting to share his news with them, which as far as he was concerned was the best news he had ever had.

"RON, GINNY, HERMIONE WILL YOU GET DOWN HERE."

"Hermione's still in the hospital wing, mate. And what's with all this shouting?"

"Ron, you are never going to believe this. You are going to need to sit down."

"Well tell me then!"

"Right, well I was walking down this corridor and I was sure I could hear Malfoy's voice, but I couldn't see him. So I stopped and I was listening really hard to try and work out where it was coming from. Then I heard another voice, this time a quieter one, and I realised it was coming from inside a cupboard, right beside me. So I walked over and started listening at the door but I couldn't hear anything."

"Well I have to say that was the most interesting story you've ever told me Harry."

"I'm not finished Ron! So I opened the door to see if it was really him in there or not and you'll never guess what I saw."

"If this is Malfoy and a girl fooling around, I won't be surprised."

"It was Malfoy and that dark haired guy, Blaise, and they were...you know! KISSING!"

Ron's jaw dropped. He sat in silence for roughly three seconds and then his face burst into a wide grin and he started laughing.

"And he's made fun of _us_ for being gay all this time."

"Ron, we're not gay!"

"I know that! But what I mean is that he's always said we were, but it was him all along."

"To be fair to Malfoy, he looked horrified. I think Blaise must have pounced on him or something."

"Just ruin the story then, why don't you! You could have just left that out."

"Nah, but think about it. Malfoy will be feeling so violated! Especially since it was me who found them. HA I am actually crying I was laughing so hard running up here!"

"We need to go tell Hermione!"


	14. Chapter 14

As he stormed back through the dungeon corridors, Draco could feel the rage building up inside of him. Not only had Blaise been so stupid as to kiss him on a whim but also none other than the-boy-who-lived-to-hate-Malfoys had witnessed the event.

"Draco...honestly I'm not like that I just..."

"You just what? Thought you'd do your little experiment and tarnish my reputation in the process. I know what I'll do today, I'll kiss Draco in front of Harry fucking Potter"

Blaise stopped attempting to keep up with the fast pace his best friend was setting. He wasn't gay, of course he wasn't, it had been a temporary lapse in judgement and a complete fluke that Potter had seen. His legs were too tired to try and catch up so he shouted after Draco instead.

"Draco I'm not gay...I THOUGHT _YOU_ WERE!"

"Keep your fucking voice down, you've done enough damage. What the hell gave you that idea?"

"I don't know I was with Steph and she mentioned it and it all kind of...made sense!"

"Who the hell is Steph? And why was she talking to you about me being gay? And why did you believe her?"

"She's the new Gryffindor, and it's complicated...and I don't know why I believed her."

Draco began to contemplate the situation. Blaise had been his best friend since he was born and was not exactly blessed in the brains department. Perhaps it had all been a mistake, a stupid mistake that Harry Potter had just happened to walk in on.

"Do you know what Blaise...I don't even care."

The dark haired boy stared at his companion. Surely the great Draco Malfoy was not backing down in an argument? If he were it would have been the first time he had ever witnessed such an event, except for the arguments between Draco and Lucius that is. His friend seemed tired, in fact he had done for a while. Tired and withdrawn. Blaise had assumed that this was because of hiding his homosexuality but if that was not the case...

"Draco I might be completely shooting myself in the foot here but...why aren't you more angry? I mean I kissed you in front of your arch enemy and I'm sleeping with a fucking Gryffindor."

"I hadn't even thought of the Gryffindor thing to be honest. And I don't know why but I just can't bring myself to care about anything much at the moment. I have a lot on my mind."

And with that he stormed off again leaving Blaise to wonder what exactly it could be that would lead the boy who hated Gryffindors with every fibre of his being, and who would kill someone who so much as insinuated that Harry could get the upper hand in any situation, to shrug something like this off.

X---------------------------------------------X

Hermione had fallen asleep in the hospital wing soon after Snape and Madame Pomfrey had spoken with her. Her entire body was run down with the stress of keeping her secret and also with all of the late nights she had been enjoying with Draco. Her dreams were filled with his love, with her fantasies of running away with him and never returning. She would never in her wildest dreams have imagined that she could ever possibly consider giving up her friends for Draco Malfoy but she knew deep in her heart that one day she might have to.

She and Draco had only officially been an item for a little over a month but it felt like a lifetime. She had fallen hard and fast for her platinum haired classmate and was not ready to give him up. She truly loved him; perhaps she always had on some level. And now that they were together she had seen a whole other side to him, a side which showed that he would fight for what he loved, that he could not stand idly by and watch as somebody threatened what he held dear. This was perhaps why he had always been so cruel to her and her friends in the past, they threatened all of his family values and friends, and he would not stand for it.

But when he wasn't punching Ron in the great hall or defending her in front of Snape, they would have the most wonderful conversations, as well as the hours of kissing! He didn't talk to her in a baby voice or treat her like an airhead either, he just spoke to her, about anything and everything, serious or silly, but always with a passion in his eyes that drew her in more every time. And on top of it all he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen, with his white hair and piercing eyes he looked almost angelic. Yes she truly did love him.

"Miss Granger wake up!"

"Oh...Professor Snape I must have drifted off, I'm sorry."

His eyes narrowed and darted from side to side, surveying the scene around him, checking for anyone who could possibly overhear.

"What is the situation with you and Mr Malfoy?"

"Sir there is nothing...you know what is going on. We agreed that we wouldn't talk about it any more, you about me and Draco, and us about you and Kirsty."

"We did no such thing. We agreed not to inform anyone else of our little indiscretions but nothing else was mentioned. So I shall ask you again Miss Granger, what is going on between you and Draco?"

Hermione knew that Snape was very aware of what was going on. He had suspected it for weeks and had himself seen them holding hands. What possible reason could he have to be asking this question, was it a trick? Was he perhaps trying to get her to say it aloud so that he would have proof? But surely that couldn't be the case as he had as much to lose as them, if not more, as they would reveal all about him carrying on with a pupil. She realised that she would have to finish what she and Draco had started in that greenhouse. She would have to tell Snape the truth. He was determined to find out either way and at least this way she could finally tell somebody about it. Finally, get that small amount of relief that would come from opening up, even just a little bit.

"We are...Draco and I...Sir we are in a relationship."

For a moment she thought she saw a smile in his eyes, but she could never be sure, as it had straight away been replaced with their usual emptiness. Impossible to read.

"Do you love him? And for that matter, does Draco love you?"

"I do Sir, and I believe he loves me too. Neither of us would be in this situation if we didn't. If they found out his family would disown him and my friends would most likely do the same. But why do you want to know? You know there is something going on why does it bother you what our feelings are?"

"Because I have some news for you Miss Granger. It could change your life forever, turn it upside down, or it could be wonderful, and the outcome entirely depends on your situation with a certain Mr Malfoy."

X---------------------------------------X

Draco had been waiting outside the medical wing for over an hour waiting for the other visitors to leave. He needed to make sure that Hermione was all right, even just to look into her eyes. Draco Malfoy was actually worried about someone else rather than himself, and as the thought dawned on him and all but his potions professor had left the wing he entered with a smirk.

He approached the bed unnoticed and didn't realise until he was almost upon them that the pair were in silence. Hermione was staring blankly ahead, and Snape had a look of genuine concern on his face, something that Draco had never seen on his mentor before.

"What's with the long faces? Who died?"

As the sound of his voice Hermione turned to face him and she burst into tears. Draco instinctively ran to her and embraced her shaking body in his arms.

"What's wrong Hermione? Seriously...you're scaring me. What was wrong with that potion?"

"Nothing was wrong with the fucking potion Draco. Nothing...it's...it's me. There's something wrong with me."

The firm grip on his shoulder temporarily turned his attention away from the girl who's every tear felt like a dagger to his heart. Professor Snape was staring at him, trying to read his emotions, trying to choose his words.

"Sir what's wrong with her? What happened?"

But he didn't have a chance to answer, just as Snape's mouth opened so did the door, and in came the last people Draco would have wanted to see at that time: Harry, Ron, Ginny and Steph. As he caught sight of Draco hugging a crying Hermione, Ron ran to the end of the wing and lunged at Draco, Snape only just managing to catch him in time. The rest of the group got to the bedside just as Ron was beginning to shout.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER MALFOY!"

Draco reluctantly stepped away from her. As much as he wanted to pound Ron until he couldn't breathe another word he wasn't sure what Hermione wanted to do. And this was her turf, he would decide when and how to tell his family and friends and it was her right to decide if and when to break the news to hers. Her eyes darted from the group who had just come in to Draco. She desperately needed to talk to him alone but getting rid of the others wouldn't be so easy. 'Quick Hermione think of something,' she thought to herself as each passing moment only made the group stare at her with more intensity, more confusion.

"Guys, I appreciate you coming to find me but I'd like to ask Draco a few questions in private if you don't mind. It's nothing much, just you know he came here to…umm…maybe fill me in on what went on with the potion I drank. Professor Snape thinks he might have witnessed something. Please guys, it's important."

The pleading in her eyes told them that even if she wasn't being completely truthful or sensible, it was indeed important to her, but Harry wanted to make sure everything was all right before he left.

"Hermione, you're sure you want us to leave, I mean maybe we could help too, some of us were in the class. What would Draco know about it anyway? Did he do it? Did you put something in her potion Malfoy, if you did I swear to God…"

"No Harry…he didn't do anything. But you know he was standing beside Blaise and he's the one who gave me the potion, it's just maybe Blaise did something to it, you know, tampered with it. Draco would know if he had, they're friends."

She couldn't understand why Ron's face had gone bright purple as he struggled hard not to let a sound escape his lips, and why Harry was doubled up, tears streaming down his face as he exploded into peals of laughter.

"Guys, I don't think the possibility of me being ill is a laughing matter."

"No Hermione, we're sorry, we're not laughing at that, or at you, it's just…HA Blaise and Malfoy…of course he would know if his…if his…boyf…"

"Right I've had enough of this. You know fine well Potter that I was not a willing participant in that little escapade. But I'd really rather not stand here and take this either way, go outside and laugh at me if you must, but I have rather pressing matters to attend to which require me to spend as little time with you as possible. If you would kindly wait outside."

As the four Gryffindors turned to leave, still sniggering at the sight of Draco's cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment as he tried his hardest to maintain a cool façade, whilst defending his heterosexuality, Hermione was relieved, if not a little confused, to finally get some time alone with Draco to explain. He looked down at her, the concern from earlier returning to his eyes as he remembered her words, "there's something wrong with me!"

"Ignore all that shit they were talking Hermione, it's all just a big misunderstanding, but umm…what's wrong with you? You can tell me, it's making it worse not knowing, don't be embarrassed, oh no Hermione don't cry."

But she had buried her head in his chest as she struggled to find the words to break it to him exactly what had happened. Exactly what was wrong with her.

"Draco…I'm…I'm…the charms, the charms we used they must not have worked."

"What charms? Are you talking about in class? I thought this just came on in potions."

She just looked at him, trying to convey with her eyes what her mouth could not force itself to say. Saying the words would make it true. If she didn't say it out loud she could pretend it wasn't happening. But she had to, she had to somehow use all of her Gryffindor courage to face this problem, to share it with him, with the man she loved…but would he still love her if she told him?

"You know the times we've…ummm…_been _together, in that certain way…you know when we're alone…"

"You're pregnant?"

As the tears escaped her eyes again and realisation set in on his face, all Draco could think to do was hold her closer to him. One thing flashed into his mind of what to do. The only possible thing he could do in this situation.

"Marry me…today, tomorrow…it doesn't matter where or when, just marry me Hermione."

X-------------------------------------------------X

"They've been in there an awfully long time, don't you think?"

"Just leave them Ron, he's not going to do anything with Snape in there."

Ron knew his sister was right. But still he had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. What if she was telling them about what he had done? He didn't know why she would but he had been feeling uneasy any time she was alone with anyone recently. All it would take was the slightest slip and everybody would know, and he couldn't live with that. Of course he wouldn't actually do any of the things he had threatened her with, but still he didn't want people knowing. Something had just come over him, all the rage at her feelings of friendship towards him when everybody could see they would be perfect together, all his jealousy from the time she had dated Krum, and the brief fling with Seamus, it had been building up inside him for years and something inside him snapped whenever she rejected him, or looked at him in a certain way. He couldn't control himself around her, all he wanted to do was kiss her, but she wouldn't let him and he couldn't see any valid reason why not.

X----------------------------------------X

"Draco, honestly it's lovely of you to offer that, but I can't. We're only 17 years old. And I refuse to spend the rest of my life wondering if you only asked me because of the baby. And you know that is why you're asking."

"Honestly, you can be so thick sometimes Hermione," he smiled at her. Could she honestly not see how much he loved her?

"Sure, I'm scared, petrified even, at the thought of a baby. But, I do love you, more than anything else in this world, you're all I ever think about, and I'd hope we would get married eventually! I can't see myself with anybody else but you. All this pregnancy does is bring the date forward a bit."

A joy filled her heart at his words. He actually wanted to marry her. He didn't run, she had been so worried that he would. So worried that he would tell her that it had been fun and then walk out of her life forever. He was willing to go against his family for her, tell the world what he felt…was she ready to do the same?

"What…what will your family say? What if they disown you Draco, I couldn't live with myself if they did."

"Oh quit being so melodramatic woman. If I'm old enough to fall in love, father a child and get married, I'm old enough to cope without my family. Who cares what they think? I don't need them anymore anyway, we've almost graduated school, it's only a few months to go, once that's out of the way I'll be getting a job, I will officially be an adult and there is nothing my family can offer me from that point on. What am I going to miss out on? My mum's marvellous cakes she bakes me, or my Dad's amazing father-son chats and bonding weekends. I don't exactly have your average family Granger, it won't make a difference to me if they're in my life or out of it."

She nodded at him and smiled; cocking her head to one side as she stared at the man she had just agreed to spend the rest of her life with. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that this was how she would leave school, pregnant and possibly by that time married to Draco Malfoy. But, he was right, as terrified as she was, now that she knew that he would stick by her she actually felt quite calm, as if this was meant to be happening, as though maybe the pregnancy wasn't quite the bad news she had first thought.

"So, you'll marry me?"

"I said yes!"

"I think you'll find you didn't! I just want to be perfectly sure before I denounce my family and start running off into the sunset only to find out I'd misread the signals and you had actually said no!"

"Ok…Draco Malfoy, I accept your proposal of marriage!"

"YOU ACCEPT HIS PROPOSAL OF WHAT?"

The last person either of them had wanted to see at that moment was now standing behind Draco with a face as red as his hair. The other three members of his posse closely followed him, and they were as shocked to see the look on his face, as Hermione and Draco had been to see him. Hermione's heart sank, all of the joy she had been feeling had suddenly been shattered as the realisation that she would finally have to tell her friends what she had been doing. She finally had to let them know, let them judge her, and possibly let them go.

"Guys, I have to tell you something."

"She's gone mad, that's what she has to tell you, she just told the ferret she'd marry him."

Three astonished faces looked at her questioningly and she tried her best to ignore them, the look of hope that Ron was joking or had misunderstood something in Harry's eyes making it harder to get each word out.

"I've not gone mad, and yes I did. I've accepted Draco's offer but…don't look at me like that Harry you don't understand. I've been keeping something from you for a while now, where I've been going when I'm not with you, and who I've been seeing."

All but Stephanie looked flabbergasted. The newest member of the school looked positively ecstatic. She ran to Hermione's bedside and pulled the stunned girl into a deep hug, patting her on the back as she did it.

"I am so happy for you, he's finally reciprocated your feelings! Oh you must be so pleased! I just knew when Blaisey told me about what had happened between you and Draco that he couldn't hate you as much as you said. Oh Hermione, your knight in shining armour has come to rescue you from your sick bed and whisk you off!"

It was turn for Draco to look astonished, one of Hermione's friends was actually happy to see this happen. She didn't see the house rivalries or the family rifts this would cause, all she could see was two people in love. Maybe she was a bit giddy for his liking, but at least she was being supportive.

"Stephanie, butt out of this. You don't have a clue what you're talking about. This isn't all happy smiley time, although I am aware you may find that hard to understand. She's not in love with him, she's just being stupid."

"Ron, what has this got to do with you? If she's happy why can't you be happy for her? You call yourself her friend and yet you stand there calling her stupid for following her heart. I'm disgusted at you."

This time it was Ginny who had defended Hermione. She had been feeling bad for a while about the way she had treated Hermione, ignoring her for Harry and then making fun of her for never having a boyfriend. And it all made sense now, this is why she never talked about it, knowing she would get this reaction. Inside Ginny kicked herself; she had called Hermione her best friend and yet had made it impossible for her to confide in her. This was her chance to redeem herself, to let Hermione know she still loved her. Nothing could change that, not even a Slytherin boyfriend…or husband.

But with his own sister going against him to defend what he saw as an abomination, the rage Ron had experienced before was creeping back into his body. Filling his every orifice. As hard as he tried to control himself, he could do it no longer as he took in the words that were coming out of the mouth of his worst enemy, the boy who had stolen Hermione from under his nose, the boy who had been so horrible to him and his friends for years.

"We're going to get married, and Hermione is pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

At that Ron launched at him, hitting and kicking him as hard as he could, screaming and shouting, not stopping when he heard the horrified shrieks of his friends or when Malfoy didn't fight back. He was aware of hands grabbing his shoulders, dimly aware that it was Snape who was grabbing him, and Harry who was pulling on his arms. As the two finally managed to pull him off for a few seconds Hermione grabbed Draco's hand and ran out of the hospital wing as fast as she could. Neither knew where they would go, or how, but all they knew was that all hell had broken loose and there was no way Ron was going to stop unless somebody forcibly restrained him.

Just when they thought they were safe to stop running the pair heard Harry shout at them to keep running, and at Ron to stop. He had gotten free of them. Hermione has never seen anybody so angry before in her life, she knew that it had been wrong to lie to them but she had never expected this reaction, perhaps them to shout at her, to get angry at Malfoy, to never speak to her again, but for Ron to be so angry that he appeared to be genuinely attempting to kill Draco.

Draco himself was petrified, he would have stayed and fought to maintain his pride but he remembered Hermione telling him not to hurt the Weasel and he didn't want her to be anywhere near Ron in this state, what if he hurt her by accident? Or worse…on purpose.

Ron caught up with them just as they reached the top of a flight of stairs that would leave to the entrance, or in this case exit, of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, subconsciously they had been heading outside, hoping that if they could get out of the building Ron wouldn't follow them. But they were too slow, he was upon them and had Draco pinned against the wall, Hermione refusing to leave him tried desperately to pull Ron's arms away and get Draco free.

"What the fuck do you think your doing Malfoy? Forcing Hermione to sleep with you then marry you. You're a slime ball, a miserable, disgusting little prat."

"I'm not sure if you've thought about it Weasley but why would I force her to marry me if I didn't love her? And why would she accept if she didn't love me? Also you miserable excuse for a wizard, I'd never force anyone to have sex with me, that's more your area of expertise."

At that Ron realised Hermione had told him. She had told Draco what he had done, how dare she share that with this filth? She would pay. As his hand collided with her cheek Hermione lost her balance and began to tumble down the stairs. Ron was either not fast enough or too shocked at what he had done to let go of Draco and go after her and as a result she continued falling unaided until Draco managed to finally push him off. He ran to the bottom of the staircase and cradled his future wife, who was now sobbing and clutching her stomach in agony.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It had been 3 months since the night when Hermione lost her baby and was the last day of term before the summer holidays, and for many the last day they would ever be at Hogwarts. Most of the other students had virtually no idea what had happened, all they knew was that neither Ron nor Hermione had returned to the school after that night. Many assumed that the two had run away together. Many had heard the rumours that Ron had pushed her down the stairs and so had assumed that Ron had ran away in shame and that Hermione was in hiding. Many assumed that Voldemort had somehow gotten to them and that this was being kept from them so as not to start a panic.

Very few of them actually knew the truth. Draco, Harry, Ginny and Stephanie, knew that after learning that Hermione had been pregnant her parents had withdrawn her from school. She had been sent to Beauxbattons until school finished in a bid to get her away from the father, who she had refused to identify to them. However, even they did not know what had happened to Ron. They too believed that he had ran away in shame, and this was backed up by the fact that Ginny and her family had received a few owls from him since he had left assuring them that he was fine. To an extent they were right.

However, there had been two other witnesses that night. Two young Slytherins by the names Kirsty and Sarah who had previously vowed to get their vengeance on whoever was upsetting their idol and his love. They had seen the whole thing and after the others left with Hermione to go to the hospital wing they had followed Ron and tortured him until he promised never to bother the other two again. Neither would ever tell what they had done, they didn't want recognition or thanks, they had just wanted to ensure happiness for Draco and Hermione. However, unbeknownst to them neither had spoken since that night. Since Hermione had gone to France she had heard nothing from her Slytherin prince, nothing at all.

X----------------------------------------X

All of the 7th year students were gathered in the grounds of Hogwarts for what would be their final speech for Dumbledore. The speech would kick off the graduation ceremony, a party commemorating their time at the school and the start of their adult lives. Everybody was chatting animatedly with each other, taking photos and many of the girls were crying and promising that they would be friends for life and that they "have to keep in touch!" Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes as he witnessed one such interaction between a few of his housemates. He was not in the mood for such displays; he had plans to make.

"Alone again Malfoy?"

"Why if it isn't the-boy-who-lived-to-be-a-pain-in-the-arse. Surely you have better things to do than aggravate me."

"I'm not here to aggravate you Malfoy, I want to talk about Her…"

"Fuck off Potter, you have no idea what went on there so don't think you have the right to stick your nose in my affairs. It has nothing to do with you."

Harry was starting to get angry. How dare he be so cold? Although he had learned that you could never get a serious conversation out of Draco Malfoy when there were others around and so he decided that he would try and get him alone. Seeing no other alternative he dragged him by the arm to behind one of the large statues present.

"Potter, get your grubby hands off me. I have no desire to be alone with you and so if you'll excuse me…"

"You disgust me Malfoy. I genuinely wanted to hope, maybe even believe, that you had changed. I could see in Hermione's eyes how much she loved you, and I thought that at one point I had seen something in yours, which suggested that you felt the same. But no, she told me you haven't spoken to her in 3 months. She tried to owl you and you sent it back."

"You wouldn't understand me if I told you, and in all honesty you'd probably think I was lying. To be perfectly honest I really couldn't care less what you think of me anyway, I know my reasons and that is all that matters."

"No it isn't Malfoy. Hermione needs to know as well. You proposed to her then she loses the baby and you're never heard from again."

"I took her to that hospital wing and sat beside her bed for three days straight until she had gotten over the shock so don't you dare tell me that I just fucked off and left her."

"Yeah maybe not then but afterwards…Malfoy, do you honestly think that you have done nothing wrong?"

But Draco never got a chance to answer the raven-haired boy staring at him questioningly for at that moment Blaise Zabini appeared around the statue and marched up to Draco, his best friend. He looked around at their surroundings for a moment and then, shaking his head, began to speak.

"Draco as much as I'm sure you're enjoying this little get together with Potter, it's time to go."

"Is everything set up?"

"Yeah don't worry its all taken care of."

As the two Slytherins turned to leave, Harry regained his composure and found his voice.

"It's not that easy Malfoy, come back and finish the discussion."

"Somehow Potter, I think I'd rather not. All will be revealed in time!"

And with that they were gone. Harry ran after them but when he rounded the statue and was once again in the open grounds, neither boy was anywhere to be seen. They weren't with the other students and as far as he could see, they were no longer even in the grounds. He shook his head in exasperation and decided to rejoin his friends. Talking to Draco had been like talking to a brick wall and despite his love for Hermione there was nothing more he could do for her. It had taken him a while to come to terms with her relationship with their enemy but he had genuinely believed that it was love and so had realised there was nothing he could, or even should do to stop it. And then after all of the tearful letters he had received from her, even in the ones where she had not mentioned Draco it had been clear that she was still hurt and there was no way that he could have left her alone at a time like that. Yes, Hermione Granger was his best friend and no matter what she did he would love her, nothing could change that. He just wished that Draco had treated her in the same way. As he made a start to join the rest of the Gryffindor house he did not see the flash of blonde hair making its way into the forbidden forest.

X--------------------------------------------X

Hermione Granger sat in her dorm room in Beauxbattons. It was the day after graduation and although many of her new friends were outside in the grounds making the most of their last day together she had decided to stay inside and pack her trunk. She would be going back to England the next day and although she told herself that she was packing so as to ensure that she didn't forget anything deep down she knew that it was for another reason. Today was the day of the Hogwarts graduation and her mind had been wandering to her friends back home, and to Draco Malfoy. She knew that she would see the others as soon as she got home; they hadn't seen each other in months but had been corresponding in letters almost every other day. However, as much as she couldn't wait to see Harry, Ginny and even Steph, the one person who she wished to see most of all would probably never speak to her again.

She couldn't understand what had happened, one minute everything had been fine, they were going to get married and have a baby and the next he was leaving the hospital wing saying he would come back soon, but he never did. At first she had tried to convince herself that he was sad that they had lost the baby, but that did not justify cutting off the woman he supposedly loved from his life. As happened every time she thought about him, tears began to fall down her cheeks. She hated herself for loving him still and tried desperately to think of something else, something uplifting when she heard a thud behind her. As she turned round to investigate what had fallen her eyes widened in shock at the sight that greeted her eyes.

"D-Draco?"

He looked up at her and a genuine grin crossed his face. Blaise was lying underneath him looking a little less pleased and began trying to push the blonde boy off him, but Draco was frozen in shock. He had not seen Hermione in months and she was more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair was longer, and sat around her shoulders in cascades of caramel, and her eyes…had she been crying? When he noticed this he rushed to her side and wiped her eyes for her, but nothing could wipe the grin from his face.

"Wait, no Draco…Draco…STOP! Where the hell have you been?"

For a moment his face fell at her harsh words, but he had been somewhat prepared for it. Blaise finally picked himself off the floor at this point and placed the port key on Hermione's bedside table, then offered her his hand to shake.

"Granger, good to see you again, you look good. All packed?"

"Blaise, what…I don't understand what you're both doing here. Would somebody like to explain this to me? You, Draco Malfoy, have ignored me for all this time, you've not so much even given me the courtesy of reading my letters, and yet you turn up here with that stupid grin on your face as if its all been a big joke."

As strong as her voice sounded to them, inside she was breaking all over again. Draco was even more stunning than she remembered. His stormy grey eyes were boring a hole of intensity into hers and it seemed as though he had taken a bit of sun on his face, which just made him even more beautiful. But she had to be strong, she needed answers from him, and so she cleared her throat and gestured for him to start explaining himself.

"Alright, I knew you wouldn't give in without a bit of persuasion, I had hoped, but I did know otherwise, you with your Gryffindor courage and all that! Although, I suppose you're not a Gryffindor any more are you? What house are you…"

"DRACO MALFOY GET ON WITH IT!"

She could tell that he was nervous. He had started to ramble and Blaise was trying to stifle a grin at his usually so composed best friend losing his cool so he nudged him and urged him to blurt it out. There was no use prolonging this, she would either understand or she wouldn't.

"Ok Hermione, you see. Well, it is sort of complicated but, basically the long and short of it is…don't look at me that way I am trying to work out how to start this. I'll go from the beginning then. Basically, when you lost the baby I was devastated, I felt like I had lost the one thing I had done right in my life. But then I realised that…that was you. I love you Hermione and so I left you one day to go and make arrangements to take you far away from everything. So that we could start a life together but when I came back later on to tell you of my plans you were gone and I heard that you had been sent to Beauxbattons. So, I carried on with my plans anyway, that's what I've been doing all this time, and I sent your letters back because I couldn't bear to read them and not be with you. And I couldn't come with you because…I needed to graduate Hogwarts in order to get my share of the Malfoy estate…and…I couldn't let anything change, I couldn't be writing to somebody in Beauxbattons, I couldn't come and visit you, or tell Potter or anyone to give or get messages because I couldn't have my father, or anyone for that matter suspecting what I was doing. They might have hurt you. It has been Blaise and me that have arranged all of this. I have my money, we both have our qualifications…"

"Draco, I don't know what to say."

In fact neither of them said anything for a few moments, they just stared into each other's eyes. Hermione could tell that he was being truthful and her heart was beating faster than she had ever felt it before. She wanted desperately to make him suffer just a little bit longer, just to teach him a lesson but was finding it hard not to jump into his arms and run off with him straight away.

"So you're saying that the money was more important than me?"

"What…what are you talking about Hermione?"

"Well, you didn't talk to me for three months so that you could get your money. What if you couldn't have talked to me for a year, or ten, would you have done that, and just assumed that I'd wait for you?"

"You know that it wasn't like that. I needed the money, and qualifications so that I can get a good job and a good house and take care of you."

"Take care of me? Draco, I can take care of myself!"

"For Merlin's sake woman I know you can, that's not what I'm saying. But you shouldn't need to. I know that you probably will want to work and do everything for yourself, but I want you to have the option not to, I don't want you to have to worry about anything. You are a princess and should be treated as such."

Now it was Hermione's turn to grin. She put her arms around her boyfriend's shoulders and pulled him close to her, letting out a breath it felt like she had been holding since the last time she saw him. She desperately wanted to cry tears of joy but had always thought people who did such things were just being silly. But as she began to once again lose herself and all sense of time in his arms she heard Blaise clearing his throat. The lovers turned to look at him in equal confusion, but as he raised an eyebrow at Draco and tried to speak with his facial expressions rather than his voice, Draco's face lit up in understanding. He had almost forgotten!

He searched his pockets for the item, which it had taken him one month to find and a further month to have things added and taken away to make it perfect. His fingers closed around it and he pulled out the most beautiful ring Hermione had ever seen. It was white gold with a thin trail of tiny emeralds leading up each side, so perfectly placed that they looked like the stem of a flower, and then encased in twenty glittering diamonds was a large sumptuous, dark ruby.

"Hermione Granger, I meant what I said all those months ago, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I know I've asked you before but this time I can do it properly…will you marry me?"

"Of course I will!"

And with that they embraced in the kiss that both of them had been aching for in these past few months, perhaps even all of their lives. It said everything that they had ever wanted to say to each other, told of the love, respect and need that they had for each other. When they finally separated after what seemed like a lifetime, Hermione gathered her trunk and the remaining belongings that she had and the three of them took the port key back to England. From there Draco whisked Hermione off to a beautiful apartment in Wizard London, the place he had purchased for him and his bride. To anybody who witnessed them they looked just like any other couple in love, grinning from ear to ear and barely able to take their hands off each other, as if the loss of contact would kill them. They were finally what they had always wanted to be. Normal and together.

The End

AN: Oh my God it's finally finished I can't believe it!!! I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter because there was just so much stuff that I wanted to put in but I hope that this final edition makes all my readers happy!! It certainly makes me happy either way! I'd like to thank everybody who reviewed especially the person (I'm really sorry but I'm not on the internet so I can't check your name right now but I think it is rhapsodysenigma (?!) maybe that is wrong but you know who you are) who reviewed every chapter and was so encouraging. I dedicate this finale to you, as your kind words spurred me on to make this the best I could make it! Also to the reviewer who worried that Hermione would become barren, I couldn't work out how to point out in the story that she isn't but…don't worry she is not! Anyway, once again thank you so much for reading and please review, I'd love to know your thoughts on the final chapter and in fact on the story as a whole, constructive criticism is welcome because it lets me know what I could do better in a future fic. Once again, thank you so much and I am so proud of myself that I finished this!!


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